Eric Adams adviser accused of bribery after giving reporter cash inside potato chip bag
The non-profit news outlet The City reported the encounter late Wednesday, Aug. 20, a few hours after Winnie Greco allegedly handed an open bag of Herr's sour cream and onion rippled potato chips to journalist Katie Honan following a Harlem campaign event. Initially, Honan thought it was simply a 'light snack,' but after they parted ways, she looked inside the bag and discovered a red envelope containing 'at least one $100 bill and several $20 bills.'
Honan texted Greco soon after the discovery to let her know she couldn't accept the money and asked when she could return it. However, she did not receive a response.
The City reported the incident to the NYC Department of Investigation, and federal prosecutors from the office of Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella contacted The City's lawyers, as reported by the outlet. An investigator later retrieved the chip bag that contained the red envelope and cash.
Adams and his broader campaign didn't have any immediate ties to the incident.
A spokesperson for the Brooklyn U.S. attorney's office, John Marzulli, declined to comment when contacted by USA TODAY. Greco's attorney denied the incident was a payoff, according to a statement.
In a statement to The City and the New York Times, a spokesperson for Adams' campaign said Greco has been suspended from all volunteer campaign-related activities and holds no position in the campaign.
'Mayor Adams had no prior knowledge of this matter,' spokesperson Todd Shapiro said. 'He has always demanded the highest ethical and legal standards, and his sole focus remains on serving the people of New York City with integrity.'
With less than three months remaining until the general election, Adams is facing significant headwinds in his bid for a second term due to a scandal-filled tenure and consistently low polling numbers. The City and reporter Honan, who previously covered New York City for the Wall Street Journal, have reported extensively on the Adams administration, including on his federal indictment in 2024 and ongoing investigations and indictments of multiple former Adams staffers and associates. Honan's reporting has also focused on Greco's relationship with Adams.
Who is Winnie Greco?
Winnie Greco, the former director of Asian affairs for the city, has been a fixture in Adams' campaigns and the current administration. She has been a key fundraiser and acted as the main liaison between Adams and the Chinese American community.
She resigned from her post at City Hall in October 2024 amid scrutiny over her close relationships with people and groups connected to China's communist regime, and after FBI agents searched two of her Bronx homes in March 2024 in connection with the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn.
Although she no longer holds a position at City Hall, Greco has recently reemerged alongside Adams as he campaigns for a second term.
In an interview with The City on Wednesday, Aug. 20, Greco was asked what her intention was in handing money to the reporter. In response, the news outlet reported she said she'd made a mistake and apologized.
'I'm so sorry," she told The City. "It's a culture thing. I don't know. I don't understand. I'm so sorry. I feel so bad right now. I'm so sorry, honey.' In a separate call later that evening, Greco said: "I just wanted to be her friend. I just wanted to have one good friend. It's nothing.'
Greco's attorney, Steven Brill, in a statement to The City, called the money a gesture of friendship and gratitude in Chinese culture. He also told USA TODAY in a statement that while it "looks odd," it would make more sense and carry less negative connotation "if one understood Winnie's generosity, and her sincere dedication to the Chinese culture." He told USA TODAY that Greco "apologized and asked for the traditional gift to be returned" once the reporter alerted her that she could not accept the money.
"This was no payoff. This was no bag of cash in a dark alley," Brill said. "Any insinuation that this gift had a nefarious intent to influence this reporter or her coverage is misinterpreted and ridiculous."
New indictments connected to Adams' administration
The reports of Greco's attempted cash handoff to the reporter came hours before a new set of indictments was announced against another former Adams adviser.
The Manhattan District Attorney announced on Thursday, Aug. 21, that former adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin was under investigation for accusations that she engaged in several bribery schemes.
Adams became the first sitting New York City mayor to face federal indictment last year, after charges were filed in September 2024 claiming he solicited and accepted illegal gifts and campaign donations from wealthy foreigners, including accepting luxury airline tickets, meals, and hotel stays. The mayor pleaded not guilty and has maintained his innocence. In April, the Department of Justice, under President Donald Trump, dismissed the corruption case against Adams. The controversial decision spurred more than half a dozen senior federal prosecutors to resign, and sparked a public outcry.
Adams has been in NYC's public eye for decades, formerly serving as an NYPD Captain, a state senator and Brooklyn borough president. He was elected as mayor in 2021.
Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.
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