FBI Arrests Brooklyn Lawyer Tied to Mayor Adams in Bribery Case
Frank Carone, ex-chief of staff to Mayor Adams, was arrested on federal bribery charges.
Why it matters: The arrest highlights ongoing federal probes into political corruption in New York City, affecting legal ethics and defense strategies. It underscores risks lawyers face when involved in political affairs.
- Frank Carone was charged with accepting $120,000 in bribes linked to a $6.8 million migrant shelter contract.
- Payments allegedly funneled through Carone's brother Anthony's law firm, which removed Frank's bio after the arrest.
- Carone served as Mayor Eric Adams' chief of staff in 2022 and led his 2021 mayoral campaign.
- All defendants, including Carone, denied the charges; Mayor Adams was not implicated in the case.
Frank Carone, who played a pivotal role in Mayor Eric Adams' political career, was arrested on June 24, 2026, by the FBI on federal bribery charges. The allegations relate to a scheme in which Carone is accused of accepting $120,000 in bribe payments to secure a $6.8 million contract for a migrant shelter at a Queens hotel that city officials had deemed unfit. Key to the case is the involvement of Carone's brother, Anthony Carone, whose law firm allegedly processed these payments.
Following the arrest, the law firm swiftly removed Frank Carone's biography from its website, signaling potential reputational and legal repercussions. Alongside Carone, hotel owner Yan Po Zhu and employee Crystal Chen were also charged. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Carone's history with the mayor is notable: he was Adams' chief of staff in 2022 and managed his 2021 mayoral campaign before starting a political consulting firm in 2023. Though Carone’s arrest draws attention, Mayor Adams himself is not implicated in this particular case. However, Adams faced separate federal charges in September 2024 related to bribery and campaign finance offenses, charges that were dismissed in April 2025.
The case reflects ongoing investigations into corruption within New York City's administration, with FBI and NYPD agents recently searching homes of top NYPD officials amid unrelated bribery probes. This continuing scrutiny underlines the challenging ethical terrain legal professionals navigate when involved in politically sensitive cases.
Legal observers and practitioners should watch this case closely, as it may affect ethics considerations and criminal defense approaches in public corruption cases.
By the numbers:
- $120,000 — alleged bribes accepted by Frank Carone
- $6.8 million — migrant shelter contract linked to bribery charges
- 2022 — year Carone served as chief of staff to Mayor Adams