Mayor Eric Adams is facing a high-profile legal challenge as former New York Police Department interim commissioner Tom Donlon filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court, accusing Adams and other city officials of orchestrating a ‘criminal conspiracy’ at the NYPD. The suit alleges a coordinated scheme involving wire fraud, mail fraud, honest services fraud, obstruction of justice, and retaliation against whistleblowers, with Donlon claiming the NYPD was ‘criminal at its core.’ Adams’ office denounced the claims as ‘baseless’ and stated Don’tlon was ‘rightfully removed’ from his role as interim commissioner.
The allegations have intensified amid Adams’ re-election campaign, where he faces Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, as well as former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Donlon’s lawsuit is framed as a broader effort to challenge what he describes as a ‘corrupt system’ that ‘betrays the public, silences truth, and punishes integrity.’ The former commissioner argues the goal is to ‘drive real change’ and hold ‘corrupt, deceitful, and abusively powerful’ officials accountable.
Adams’ spokesperson, Kayla Mamelak Altus, has criticized the allegations as a personal vendetta, asserting that Donlon ‘was given the opportunity to lead the greatest police department in the world’ but ‘proved himself to be ineffective.’ The spokesperson emphasized that the NYPD’s performance, including a historic drop in shootings, demonstrates its integrity. ‘The NYPD is led by the best, brightest, and most honorable professionals in the nation,’ she said, ‘and their results speak for themselves.’ Adams’ office has vowed to ‘respond in court’ and ‘disprove’ the claims, indicating a firm stance against the allegations, which could have significant implications for his re-election bid and the city’s political landscape.