Mayor Adams has disclosed over $113,000 in payments to Brianna Suggs, his former fundraiser, amid ongoing investigations into his campaign finances.
Suggs was the highest-paid vendor for the 2025 campaign, but she was removed from her fundraising position after her home was raided in late 2023. This raid was part of a federal investigation into Adams’ connections with the Turkish government. Now, the payments to her are labeled as consulting work, but it’s unclear what she’s actually doing for the campaign.
One payment of $33,249 was for a fundraiser and dated back to February 2023, but it only came to light recently in Adams’ campaign finance filing. Candidates are supposed to report these expenses when they happen, so this late disclosure raises eyebrows.
The other payments, totaling $80,000, are from 2024, after she transitioned out of fundraising. Some of these payments are dated outside the latest reporting period, including several from August 2024, just before Adams faced criminal charges for allegedly accepting bribes from Turkish operatives.
Adams has pleaded not guilty to these charges. His campaign lawyer didn’t respond to requests for comments about the payments.
The FBI raided Suggs’ Brooklyn home, which was the first public action in the investigation into Adams’ ties to Turkey. This incident put a spotlight on the probe and has created quite a stir for Adams, who is set to go on trial in April.
After the raid, Adams said Suggs would no longer be his main fundraiser, but she would still be involved in some capacity, though the details are unclear. Suggs has been with Adams for years, starting as an intern when he was borough president.
In the latest campaign filing, Adams also reported a $2,100 donation from “Madison Square Garden New York,” but no individual was listed as the contributor. Campaigns can’t accept corporate donations, and his lawyer didn’t comment on this either.
Interestingly, James Dolan, the billionaire owner of Madison Square Garden, and his associates donated over $60,000 to Adams’ campaign this summer, but most of that money was later returned.
Additionally, Adams’ campaign spent $2,400 at the Riverdale Yacht Club and $419 at Zero Bond, a club he often visits, both listed as fundraiser expenses.
