Frank Carone, the former chief of staff to ex-NYC Mayor Eric Adams, was arrested Wednesday morning at his Manhattan home by FBI agents. The arrest is part of a broader corruption investigation involving three others: Anthony Carone (his brother), Queens hotel owner Yan Po Zhu, and Crystal Chen.
Key Takeaways
Frank Carone, former chief of staff to ex-NYC Mayor Eric Adams, was arrested along with three others for allegedly accepting bribes to steer migrant shelter contracts. The scheme involved $120,000 in payments and a contract worth nearly $7 million.
- Frank Carone and three others charged in federal bribery probe
- Allegedly accepted $120,000 in bribes for migrant shelter contract
- Contract awarded to hotel previously rejected by city officials
- Indictment includes charges of wire fraud and money laundering
- Separate raids conducted on homes of current and former NYPD officials
Source Claims Check
High Consensus| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrest | Broad Agreement | Frank Carone arrested in NYC bribery scheme | |
| Bribe Amount | Broad Agreement | $120,000 in bribes accepted by Frank Carone | |
| Contract Value | Broad Agreement | $7 million contract awarded to hotel |
According to a 13-point indictment unsealed by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank Carone allegedly accepted bribes totaling $120,000 in exchange for steering a nearly $7 million migrant shelter contract to Zhu's Long Island City hotel. The hotel had previously been rejected as unsuitable but was approved after Carone intervened.
The indictment alleges that the payments were hidden and sent through Anthony Carone’s law firm bank account. Prosecutors claim Frank Carone leveraged his position as Adams' chief of staff to commit multiple acts of bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering. The scheme is alleged to have occurred between 2022 and 2023 when the city was converting hotels into migrant shelters using $1.8 billion in federal grants.
Arthur Aidala, Frank Carone's attorney, criticized the indictment as weak and based on circumstantial evidence. He expressed confidence that his client would be acquitted. A spokesperson for former Mayor Adams issued a statement supporting Carone but noted it was an ongoing legal matter. Additionally, separate raids were conducted Wednesday on the homes of current and former NYPD officials linked to another bribery investigation.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.
