Top Mayor Eric Adams aide Winnie Greco is being investigated by the feds for potentially using workers at a Queens mall to hide campaign donations to Hizzoner, law-enforcement sources told The Post on Friday.
The FBI launched raids Thursday on two homes Greco owns on Gillespie Avenue in Pelham Bay in The Bronx — as well as the offices of the New World Mall in Flushing — over the alleged possible illegal straw donor scheme, sources said.
The 61-year-old longtime mayoral adviser suffered a “medical episode” during the morning raids — which included federal agents hauling off boxes of files from at least one of the homes — and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, City Hall sources told The Post. The administration did not immediately comment on her condition Friday.
The city Department of Investigation opened a probe in November after allegations surfaced of suspected straw-donor money stemming from events organized by Greco, a major Adams campaign-raiser and now his $100,000-a-year Asian Affairs liaison, the outlet The City reported.
Greco was heavily involved in organizing eight lucrative fundraising events at New World Mall for Adams’ 2021 campaign, the outlet said.
She is already being probed for potentially allegedly illegally soliciting a $10,000 “donation” for Adams’ campaign from a Chinese businessman to attend an event at Hizzoner’s official home at Gracie Mansion.
In addition, Greco is being eyed for possibly promising a campaign volunteer a job in the Adams administration if he performed work on her kitchen early in 2022.
She has not been charged over any of the reported allegations.
The FBI is probing whether mall workers were among the alleged possible straw donors she may have used, sources told The Post.
Greco is a well-known local figure in the business community at and around the mall, sources noted.
A straw donor is someone whose name is used — either wittingly or unwittingly — on campaign finance forms to illegally funnel cash to candidates to dodge the law.
For instance, a donor with deep pockets who wants to give more than the maximum $10,000 — for example, $100,000 — might use nine other people’s names to donate $10,000 a pop to get the full amount of dough to his candidate’s campaign coffers.
Adams has been a regular figure at mall events, delivering remarks there for the Chinese New Year just two weeks ago.
The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and City Hall yesterday said neither he nor any of his staff has been contacted by the FBI in relation to any probes involving Greco.
Greco — a Chinese immigrant who arrived in the city in the late 1990s — is the third Adams aide to face federal scrutiny this past year.
In November, the FBI raided the Brooklyn home of Brianna Suggs, a top fundraiser for the mayor, who has allegedly been implicated in a potential kickback scheme involving the Turkish government. Suggs has not been charged.
That same morning, FBI agents raided the home of Rana Abbasova, who worked in the mayor’s international affairs office.
The Adams administration is being eyed over allegations it may have conspired with the Turkish government to fuel his campaign with foreign donations and whether he urged the FDNY to fast-track permits for a new Turkish Consulate that had failed earlier safety inspection.
Greco, who has described herself as being “patriotic overseas Chinese” — a term that refers to individuals who live outside of the country but maintain a strong sense of loyalty to the Chinese Community Party –has been placed on paid sick leave since her “medical episode’’ Thursday, sources said.
City Hall said she will not be allowed to return to her job till after the investigation is complete, so if she runs out of sick leave during that time, she can use up her paid annual before being put on unpaid leave.
The only working phone number listed for her was not in service Friday, and it was not immediately clear if she has a lawyer and who the person is.
Adams — asked about the latest troubling development involving Greco by NY1 on Friday morning — said, “I’ve been very clear, follow the rules.
“Follow the law, follow the rules. I said it throughout my entire law enforcement career, and I’ve said it in my public life as well,’’ the former NYPD captain said.
“You know, we all have our jobs to do. My job is to make sure trash is off the streets and the city is clean,’’ the mayor said. “And those who are doing reviews of any actions that may be perceived to be incorrect, they’re going to do their job. My job is focused on navigating us through this crisis and keeping the city safe and clean and as we move forward.”
https://nypost.com/2024/03/01/us-news/nyc-mall-workers-may-have-been-used-as-illegal-straw-donors-to-adams-campaign-sources/
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