Ingrid Lewis-Martin, former top aide to Mayor Adams, indicted on bribery charges
Ingrid Lewis Martin, former chief advisor to Mayor Eric Adams arrives with her son Glenn Martin II, at the district attorney's office in Manhattan Thursday. Credit: Louis Lanzano
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who until Sunday was the top aide to Mayor Eric Adams, has been indicted in connection with an alleged bribery scheme to trade municipal favors for $100,000 in cash and benefits for her son, including the purchase of a 2023 Porsche, according to the Manhattan district attorney.
Lewis-Martin, 63, surrendered to the district attorney's office Thursday and was to appear in court for arraignment, as was her son, Glenn Martin II, and the businessmen who allegedly benefited.
Charges in the indictment include bribery and bribery receiving, both felonies.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the alleged criminal conduct occurred during the majority of Lewis-Martin's tenure.
"We allege that Lewis-Martin acted as an on-call consultant," Bragg said, "again and again she delivered for them."
"You do this for me, and I will do that for you," is how Bragg summarized the scheme.
He called it "naked cronyism."
Bragg said there's no evidence of Adams' involvement.
One of the businessmen helped her son with his fashion line and a Chick fil A franchise, he said.
The businessmen named in the indictment are real estate investors Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi, and the favors involve Lewis-Martin allegedly expediting the businessmen’s construction projects.
The properties include Glass Ceiling, a rooftop bar near Herald Square, and the Hotel on Rivington on the Lower East Side.
She allegedly helped, “on numerous occasions,” expedite applications with the city Department of Buildings and assisted with rejected applications, the district attorney’s office said.
Lewis-Martin also helped one of the businessmen, Viad, with a visa problem for a family member.
According to the district attorney’s office, the son got two $50,000 checks from the businessmen. He deposited the checks into joint bank accounts held with Lewis-Martin. He then transferred $50,000 to an entity for his DJ business, Suave Productions, and then used some of the money to buy a Porsche. She used the encrypted messaging app Signal and urged others to as well, the indictment says.
Lewis-Martin is the highest-ranking official in the Adams administration, current or former, to be criminally charged — besides the mayor himself, who was indicted in September in connection on unrelated accusations that he took illegal campaign donations and luxury travel and did favors for those affiliated with the Turkish government.
On Monday, Lewis-Martin denied any wrongdoing, at a news conference in which she predicted she’d be indicted.
“I’m being falsely accused of something — I don’t know exactly what it is — but I know that I was told that it’s something that’s illegal, and I have never done anything illegal in my capacity in government,” Lewis-Martin.
A day earlier, Lewis-Martin quit her post as Adams’ chief adviser.
Check for updates on this developing story.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who until Sunday was the top aide to Mayor Eric Adams, has been indicted in connection with an alleged bribery scheme to trade municipal favors for $100,000 in cash and benefits for her son, including the purchase of a 2023 Porsche, according to the Manhattan district attorney.
Lewis-Martin, 63, surrendered to the district attorney's office Thursday and was to appear in court for arraignment, as was her son, Glenn Martin II, and the businessmen who allegedly benefited.
Charges in the indictment include bribery and bribery receiving, both felonies.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the alleged criminal conduct occurred during the majority of Lewis-Martin's tenure.
"We allege that Lewis-Martin acted as an on-call consultant," Bragg said, "again and again she delivered for them."
"You do this for me, and I will do that for you," is how Bragg summarized the scheme.
He called it "naked cronyism."
Bragg said there's no evidence of Adams' involvement.
One of the businessmen helped her son with his fashion line and a Chick fil A franchise, he said.
The businessmen named in the indictment are real estate investors Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi, and the favors involve Lewis-Martin allegedly expediting the businessmen’s construction projects.
The properties include Glass Ceiling, a rooftop bar near Herald Square, and the Hotel on Rivington on the Lower East Side.
She allegedly helped, “on numerous occasions,” expedite applications with the city Department of Buildings and assisted with rejected applications, the district attorney’s office said.
Lewis-Martin also helped one of the businessmen, Viad, with a visa problem for a family member.
According to the district attorney’s office, the son got two $50,000 checks from the businessmen. He deposited the checks into joint bank accounts held with Lewis-Martin. He then transferred $50,000 to an entity for his DJ business, Suave Productions, and then used some of the money to buy a Porsche. She used the encrypted messaging app Signal and urged others to as well, the indictment says.
Lewis-Martin is the highest-ranking official in the Adams administration, current or former, to be criminally charged — besides the mayor himself, who was indicted in September in connection on unrelated accusations that he took illegal campaign donations and luxury travel and did favors for those affiliated with the Turkish government.
On Monday, Lewis-Martin denied any wrongdoing, at a news conference in which she predicted she’d be indicted.
“I’m being falsely accused of something — I don’t know exactly what it is — but I know that I was told that it’s something that’s illegal, and I have never done anything illegal in my capacity in government,” Lewis-Martin.
A day earlier, Lewis-Martin quit her post as Adams’ chief adviser.
Check for updates on this developing story.
Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.
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