Mohamed Bahi, Mayor Adams’ former Muslim community liaison at City Hall, is in discussions with federal prosecutors about a potential plea deal after being charged with obstructing the corruption investigation that led to the mayor’s indictment, according to a new court filing.
The filing, submitted this week by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams’ office, said prosecutors and Bahi’s attorney have since his Oct. 8 indictment “had discussions regarding a possible disposition of this case.”
The feds wrote the plea talks remain ongoing and requested all filing deadlines be frozen until at least Dec. 9 “to continue the foregoing discussions and reach a disposition of this matter.”
It wasn’t clear from the court papers whether any plea would require Bahi to cooperate in the corruption investigation that resulted in Adams’ indictment.
A spokesman for Williams declined to comment Friday. Bahi’s lawyer, Derek Adams, didn’t return a request for comment.
The mayor has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, fraud, conspiracy and soliciting illegal campaign contributions.
The charges stem from accusations that the mayor solicited and accepted illegal campaign cash and bribes, including luxury travel perks, from Turkish government operatives and others in exchange for doing official government favors, including resolving building safety issues. The feds say they are “likely” to bring a superseding indictment against the mayor that could include additional charges and defendants.
To date, Bahi is the only other person to be charged in the Turkey-related probe. Bahi, who also worked for Adams’ 2021 campaign, resigned from his City Hall job the day before the feds unsealed charges against him.
According to his indictment, Bahi helped an unidentified New York businessman illegally pump $10,000 into Adams’ 2021 campaign by giving most of the cash in the names of employees of his construction firm.
The indictment doesn’t name the businessman, but the Daily News previously confirmed he is Tolib Mansurov, an influential member of the city’s Uzbek community and owner of United Elite Group, a Manhattan construction company who sought help from Adams with resolving Buildings Department issues once he became mayor.
Specifically, prosecutors allege Mansurov — who was previously identified by Gothamist in the context of Adams’ indictment — told the mayor in a text on Feb. 5, 2023, that he had “always supported you,” but was “having a hard time” with the Department of Buildings related to permits for a luxury condo building his firm was constructing in Brooklyn.
“Let me look into this,” Adams texted back, according to court papers.
About a week and a half later, the Buildings Department lifted a stop-work order on Mansurov’s project.
“Mayor, brother I want to thank you for your help. DOB issue partially resolved and they promised to expedite the process. Thank you, you have my continued support,” Mansurov texted Adams after the stop-work order was lifted, prosecutors say.
Mansurov was raided by federal authorities this past June.
Shortly after that raid, prosecutors allege Bahi met with Mansurov and instructed him and his four employees to lie to federal investigators about the source of their contributions to Adams. Prosecutors allege Bahi told Mansurov the mayor “believed” Mansurov “would not cooperate with law enforcement.”
Bahi, who’s facing witness tampering charges for his alleged communications with Mansurov, also is accused in his indictment of deleting evidence of misconduct once FBI agents raided his home this summer. The deleted evidence included texts exchanged with the mayor, according to the feds.
While saying he never instructed anyone to commit any crimes, after Bahi’s Oct. 8 indictment, Adams said “I always found him to be thoughtful.”
“I always found him to be willing to go into all the communities.”
With Molly Crane-Newman
