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 Wednesday in a federal bribery probe involving three others. Prosecutors allege he accepted $120,000 in bribes for steering a migrant shelter contract to an unsuitable hotel.
- Frank Carone and three others charged with bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering
- Allegations involve $6.8 million migrant shelter contract at Zhu's Long Island City hotel
- Payments allegedly routed through Anthony Carone’s law firm bank account
- Separate raids conducted on homes of current and former NYPD officials in unrelated investigation
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▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bribe Amount | Broad Agreement | $120,000 in bribes accepted by Frank Carone | |
| Contract Value | Broad Agreement | $6.8 million migrant shelter contract | |
| Federal Grants | Broad Agreement | $1.8 billion in federal grants used for migrant shelters |
Bribe Amount
Broad Agreement$120,000 in bribes accepted by Frank Carone
Contract Value
Broad Agreement$6.8 million migrant shelter contract
Federal Grants
Broad Agreement$1.8 billion in federal grants used for migrant shelters
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
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 $6.8 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.
In court documents, prosecutors revealed text messages exchanged between Carone and Zhu. In September 2022, Zhu asked Carone for help securing an immediate one-year contract for his hotel. Carone responded by asking for the address, to which Zhu replied: "Thank you my big guy." In December 2023, Zhu texted Carone: "I asked my partners to pay you for a year," according to prosecutors.
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
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