NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — The New York City mayor’s former chief adviser, her son and two real estate investors were indicted on Thursday on bribery and conspiracy charges, a case that comes as the mayor himself fights a separate corruption case and a series of criminal investigations roils City Hall.
Lewis-Martin and her son, Glenn Martin II, reported to court at 100 Centre Street on Thursday morning. Two other men are also facing charges.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who until recently was one of the most powerful people in city government, was brought into a Manhattan courtroom in handcuffs. She, her son Glenn D. Martin II – a DJ who once performed at City Hall – and real estate investors Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi pleaded not guilty as prosecutors accused the four of engaging in a blatant pay-to-play scheme.
“This was an unfettered, on-call, quid pro quo arrangement” in which Lewis-Martin and her son raked in over $100,000 in cash and other help in exchange for her speeding approvals for construction projects, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a news conference.
He said the scheme went on during much of Lewis-Martin’s nearly three-year tenure as Mayor Eric Adams’ chief adviser – a post she left only last weekend.
Lewis-Martin’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, described his client as “a model citizen to the city of New York.”
Aidala said prosecutors brought a political case against Lewis-Martin, suggesting they are trying to get to her former boss and longtime friend Mayor Adams.
“This is a political case, this is a witch hunt type of case,” Aidala said. “I don’t know if they are trying to get Eric Adams. Ingrid Lewis-Martin has nothing bad to say about Eric Adams, so if they think is a way to get to him, they are absolutely wrong.”
But prosecutors said in a court document that Lewis-Martin “abused her position and sold her influence to enrich herself and her family.”
Prosecutors wrote that the developers repeatedly asked Lewis-Martin for help getting approvals for such projects as a rooftop bar and a hotel, and she in turn pressed officials in the city’s Department of Buildings to take action, which they did.
“Again and again, she delivered for them,” Bragg said.
In return, the developers paid $100,000 to Lewis-Martin’s son, who put the money in an account he shared with her, and used some of it to buy a $113,000 Porsche last year, prosecutors said in the court document. They said the son also got help from the businessmen with some of his own ventures.
Aidala said Lewis-Martin “knew nothing” about the loan her son purportedly received to buy the Porsche.
“Ingrid knew nothing, nothing about the loan between her son and these guys,” he said. “He’s 38 years old. It’s not like he’s an 18-year-old kid and she’s trying to get him a job somewhere. He’s 38 years old. There was a business arrangement between her son and them that was totally legitimate. Ingrid knew nothing about it. Nothing, zero, zilch. He’s 38!”
He said the indictment had “no surprises… zero surprises,” and evidence cited against her is being “totally” misinterpreted.
The case against Lewis-Martin stems from an ongoing investigation. It does not involve Mayor Adams, who is facing his own legal problems.
On Monday, Lewis-Martin’s attorney Arthur Aidala, told reporters he expected his client to be indicted on criminal charges related to the alleged improper gifts, saying “we are pretty certain that one day this week we are going to be appearing in court at 100 Centre Street.”
He said that she had been invited to speak with the grand jury considering charges but declined at the time because the outcome of the investigation appeared to be predetermined.
“Pieces of puzzles are going to be put together to make it look as horrible as possible,” Aidala said as he sat alongside Lewis-Martin at his Manhattan office. “But we know the truth, and the truth is Ingrid Lewis-Martin never broke the law.”
Lewis-Martin, 63, has been one of the mayor’s closest confidants, serving in senior roles as Adams ascended the ranks of government in New York over nearly two decades. She resigned Sunday.
She has said she’s being “falsely accused” and that she had “not made any arrangements in advance to take any gifts or money, or to have any gifts or money given to a family member or friend in order for me to do my job.”
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Some information from the Associated Press
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