City Hall’s longtime employee, Rana Abbasova, who had allegedly facilitated inappropriate straw donations and luxurious travel perks for Mayor Eric Adams, has been let go from her role, according to a source knowledgeable about the situation. Abbasova had previously held the title of the Director of Protocol at the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs but was on a leave of absence, during which it was thought that she had been assisting the Manhattan federal prosecutors as a crucial witness for their investigation.
The dependable source affirmed that the mayor’s Director of Asian Affairs, Winnie Greco, who had her house searched by the FBI in the past, voluntarily quit her position on a recent Monday. Similarly, Mohamed Bahi, a staff member at the mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, also abandoned his role; however, the reason for their respective exits was not revealed.
These shifts are significant as they mark the recent steps taken to shake up city governance as Governor Kathy Hochul of New York is increasing the pressure to ensure consistent and effective public service. City Hall’s spokesperson confirmed Greco’s and Bahi’s resignations, thanking them for their dedicated service to town.
Greco, who took the initiative to quit, wasn’t forced out of her job, confirmed her attorney, Steven Brill. He shared that his client’s exit was a sad event for both her and the Asian American residents of New York, as she had spent the past three decades improving and enriching the community’s life.
Shortly after the announcement of Abbosova’s dismissal was the unexpected revelation by the prosecutors of some fresh evidence to the defense lawyers of Adams. This new evidence, says Adams’s defense team, could potentially discredit Abbasova.
The nature of the evidence given to the defense can be described as a “Brady material”. This kind of information is beneficial to the defendant’s case, and prosecutors are constitutionally required to share it. This includes evidence that could deface a witness’s credibility. Due to a safety order issued by the judge overseeing the case, the specifics of the evidence, which was mailed to defense attorney Alex Spiro, were not discussed in detail by members of the mayor’s team.
People close to Adams opined that the evidence might back up the argument that Abbasova, at first, claimed the mayor was oblivious of any criminal occurrences and had inconsistently changed her narrative.
When Eric Adams was indicted on bribery and fraud charges on September 27, Alex Spiro attempted to challenge the prosecution in their game. In an attempt to dismiss the case, he accused the DOJ of turning a blind eye to evidence showing that Abbasova had lied multiple times. Recently, Spiro claimed that the evidence proves the innocence of Mayor Adams.
Alex Spiro’s claim that the prosecutors masked the “Brady material”, was offered no evidence by the Adams team. For a defendant to win a legal strategy, suggesting that the prosecutors concealed the evidence would probably not be the best way to go about it. This is especially since the evidence was given out relatively swiftly, just one week after the Mayor was charged.
As per Professor Rebecca Roiphe, a former ADA in Manhattan who presently teaches professional ethics at New York Law School, “Prosecutors are compelled to hand over exculpatory evidence in a timely manner”. She stated that the timing seemed appropriate in this case and there doesn’t seem to be any indication of the prosecutors concealing anything.
A criminal defense attorney and prior federal prosecutor, Brad Simon, pointed out that it’s worthy to note that the government informed Mayor Adams’s counsel about any possible alibi evidence. Although such a divulgence is common, to show it off as sensational news appears to be pure dramatization on the defense attorney’s part. He also agreed that the early hint of Abbasova’s wrongdoings was given by the Adams administration to law enforcement when they found that Abbasova asked co-workers to erase certain interactions.
While Abbasova, a decades-long assistant to Adams and the most recent Director of Protocol for International Affairs, hasn’t been imputed with any crimes, she is said to be a cooperating witness. These sources suspect that Abbasova is this indicated “Mayor’s aide” in the 57-page indictment.
