August 22, 2025
Prior to stepping down from her role in December 2024 amid Adams being charged with corruption, Lewis-Martin and her son were accused of accepting a bribe in exchange for a $100,000 Porsche loan.
Former chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, is in hot water as she is facing additional corruption charges following accusations that she used her stature in the city government to secure more than $75,000 in bribes, The New York Times reports.
Lewis-Martin is accused of cashing in on numerous schemes, including trading renovation approvals for thousands of dollars in catered events at Gracie Mansion and City Hall, and fast-tracking permit approvals for a karaoke bar set in Queens in exchange for $50,000 for her son. She was also promised a spot on a television show. “Lewis-Martin consistently overrode the expertise of public servants so she could line her own pockets,” district attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
“While she allegedly received more than $75,000 in bribes and an appearance on a TV show, every other New Yorker lost out.”
The former aide and her son, Glenn D. Martin II, weren’t the only ones named in the new indictments. Other NYC dignitaries with ties to Adams, who is gearing up for a reelection bid, are accused of corruption charges, such as former New York state senator turned deputy commissioner for real estate services, Jesse Hamilton, and avid Adams supporters, siblings Gina and Tony Argento, who run Broadway Stages, a prominent soundstage company.
Lewis-Martin allegedly took $2,500 from the Argentos in exchange for convincing city transportation officials to terminate plans to redesign McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn, according to ABC News.
After announcing the former aide will face conspiracy and bribery charges, Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber released a statement saying the accusations highlight a pattern of power abuse. “New York City officials and employees have a duty to serve the public fairly and equitably, and the vast majority fulfill that sacred responsibility each and every day,” Strauber said.
“Today’s Indictments, however, allege that the Mayor’s former Chief Advisor, at times in concert with the Deputy Commissioner for Real Estate Services in the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, repeatedly and persistently abused her senior government position to enrich herself and her family.”
Before stepping down from her role in December 2024 amid Adams’ being charged with corruption, Lewis-Martin and her son were accused of accepting bribes to help two businessmen with construction plans in exchange for a $100,000 loan to purchase a Porsche.
While Lewis-Martin’s lawyer Arthur Aidala pushes his client’s innocence, stating she “has broken no laws, and she is not guilty,” Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus released a statement to assure the mayor “was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing.” “Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration,” she continued.
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