Mayor Adams' aide charged with witness tampering and destruction of evidence in straw donor investigation

A recently departed aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was arrested Tuesday on witness tampering and destruction of evidence charges in connection with an ongoing investigation into the mayor's fundraising practices.

Mohamed Bahi, who worked in the mayor's community affairs office before resigning this week, is accused of instructing several witnesses to lie to federal investigators about a fundraiser for Adams' mayoral campaign in December 2020. According to prosecutors, straw donations were made to the campaign at the event.

The FBI also alleges Bahi suddenly deleted Signal, an encrypted messaging app he used to communicate with the mayor, from his phone when the FBI showed up to search his home and seize his device in July 2024.

Bahi, 40, is charged with witness tampering and destruction of records. He is due in court later on Tuesday.

“The indictments unsealed today should leave no doubt about the seriousness of any attempt to interfere with a federal investigation, especially when made by a government employee,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “Our commitment to uncovering the truth and following the facts wherever they lead is unwavering.”

Bahi, of Staten Island, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The charges are related to an investigation into alleged straw donor practices, in which someone donates money to a political campaign under the name of an intermediary to circumvent donation restrictions and, in some cases, release public matching funds.

This is a developing story and may be updated.