Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani is calling on mayoral rival Andrew Cuomo to release a list of his consulting clients, even trying to tie Cuomo to Jeffery Epstein in a new video as mudslinging between the candidates ramps up.
In the video, posted Tuesday afternoon, Mamdani questioned Cuomo’s consulting work, including on a crypto firm that pleaded guilty to operating illegally in the U.S. and on a luxury marina in Puerto Rico.
“That’s the thing about Andrew Cuomo: once you think you’ve learned all the scandals, you find out there’s another. And another. And another,” Mamdani said in the video. “And if the disgraced former Governor thinks that’s unfair – well, there’s an easy way to clear this all up. Habibi – release your client list.”
The New York Times reported in June that Cuomo had looked into helping his friend, real estate investor Andrew Farkas, build the marina. Epstein, who killed himself in 2019, was formerly a business parter on the marina project.
However, the project never went forward and Cuomo was not paid, according to his spokesperson.
“He didn’t know Epstein, but you can smell the desperation from conspiracy peddling Zohran seep through your screen,” Rich Azzopardi, a rep for Cuomo, fumed.
The spokesperson slammed the video as “nothing more than a temper tantrum from an insecure child of privilege who knows his tenuous lead is slipping away.”
Mamdani’s attack comes after Cuomo went after the assemblymember’s residence in a rent-stabilized apartment despite his income level.
The democratic socialist also pointed out that the former governor failed to disclose $2.6 million in stock options on his city filings. Azzopardi said the campaign fixed the mistake the same day it was flagged for them.
Cuomo formed a consulting firm, Innovation Strategies LLC, after resigning as governor in awke of the multiple sexual harassment allegations against him, which he denies.
In 2024, the former governor reported making over $500,000 from the firm. The city’s Conflicts of Interest Board does not require him to list individual clients, although some candidates have chosen on their own to do so.
Azzopardi said that is Cuomo were to become mayor, he would work out any potential issues or conflicts with COIB.
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