New York, United States

New York City Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright has become the tenth high-ranking official to resign from Mayor Eric Adams' administration as the federal investigation intensifies. Wright did not give a reason for her resignation on Tuesday (Oct 8).

Advertisment

This comes after federal agents raided Wright's home last month and seized her electronics.

'An exceptional leader'

Mayor Adams thanked Wright for her contributions: "We are grateful for First Deputy Mayor Wright’s years of service to the city and all she has done to deliver for children, families, and working-class New Yorkers."

Advertisment

He described her as a "bold visionary" and said, "She is an exceptional leader who assembled a strong team and constantly demonstrated a bold vision for this city".

Also read | Musk bows to Brazil’s Supreme Court! X set to return after months-long showdown over hate speech

"She has served New Yorkers well over the course of our administration in helping to expand access to child care, deliver free internet access to public housing residents, and battle the scourge of gun violence in our city," said Adams while addressing the press. 

Advertisment

"We wish her well in all her future endeavours," he added.

Adams also announced that Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce, will step into Wright's role.

The probe into Mayor Adams

This latest resignation follows Adams' indictment two weeks ago, where he faces accusations of participating in a straw donor scheme and accepting luxury gifts from Turkish nationals in exchange for political favours. Adams has pleaded not guilty. 

Also read | Trump sent COVID test kits to Putin while Americans died? Explosive new book reveals his shocking betrayal

The federal probe, which has been underway for over a year, is also looking into other high-ranking officials, including Wright's husband, School Chancellor David Banks, who resigned 20 days after their home was searched. 

While neither Wright nor Banks have been charged, several other figures close to Adams have also stepped down, including Phil Banks III, former deputy mayor for public safety and brother of David Banks, and Winnie Greco, director of Asian affairs and former Police Commissioner Edward Caban.

On Tuesday, Mohamed Bahi, a former senior liaison in the mayor's community affairs team, was arrested for allegedly obstructing the federal investigation into the Mayor and his campaign. 

(With inputs from agencies)