NEW YORK — A former New York City official was charged Tuesday with witness tampering and destroying evidence in connection with a federal investigation that led to Mayor Eric Adams’ bribery indictment.
Federal prosecutors allege that Mohamed Bahi, who resigned Monday as a community affairs liaison in Adams’ administration, told a businessman and campaign donors to lie to the FBI in June and deleted an encrypted messaging app from his cell phone in July as FBI agents were executing a search warrant at his home.
Bahi had used the app, Signal, to communicate with Adams, prosecutors said.
Bahi, 40, of Staten Island, was arrested Tuesday and is expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan. He is the first person other than Adams to be charged in the investigation.
Information on a lawyer who could speak on Bahi’s behalf was not listed in an online court docket.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The charges unsealed today should leave no doubt about the seriousness of any effort to interfere with a federal investigation, particularly when undertaken by a government employee.”
“Our commitment to uncovering the truth and following the facts wherever they may lead is unwavering,” Williams said.
Adams, a Democrat, has vowed to stay in office after pleading not guilty Sept. 27 to charges that he accepted about $100,000 worth of free or deeply discounted international flights, hotel stays, meals and entertainment, and sought illegal campaign contributions from foreign interests.
At a hearing last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten said prosecutors are pursuing “several related investigations” and that it is “likely” additional defendants will be charged and “possible” that more charges will be brought against Adams.
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