Latest news with #ArthurAidala
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NYC Mayor Eric Adams' former chief adviser to face more charges: Lawyer
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, New York City Mayor Eric Adams' former chief adviser who remains a volunteer on his reelection campaign, will appear in court Thursday to face additional charges, her lawyer said. The lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said the Manhattan District Attorney's Office declined to provide details about the new charges. "Despite a lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant, Ingrid is being forced to enter court with little information. What she does know is this: she has always served the City with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to every charge," Aidala said in a statement. "While the specifics remain unclear, Ingrid is certain of one thing -- she has broken no laws, and she is not guilty. We will be requesting an expedited trial schedule." Adams, who is trying to revive a lagging reelection campaign, is not expected to be charged with any wrongdoing and a spokesperson said the new charges against Lewis-Martin have nothing to do with him. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
CBS News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
NYC Mayor Eric Adams' former top advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin to face new charges Thursday
New York City Mayor Eric Adams' former top advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin is expected to face new charges Thursday, her attorney said. Back in December, Lewis-Martin and her son Glenn Martin II were indicted on bribery, money laundering and conspiracy charges. So far there's no word from officials on what the new charges are, except they are not federal. Lewis-Martin's attorney Arthur Aidala said prosecutors have not yet been forthcoming about what new charges she may face, saying "the District Attorney has refused to provide any details on the charges." Aidala said Lewis-Martin has spent a "lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant." "What she does know is this: she has always served the city with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to any charge," Aidala said. "While the specifics remain unclear, Ingrid is certain of one thing - she has broken no laws, and she is not guilty." Lewis-Martin was not just chief advisor to the mayor, but a longtime confidante who has worked with him for decades. "Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing. He remains focused on what has always been his priority — serving the 8.5 million New Yorkers who call this city home and making their city safer and more affordable every single day. Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration," Adams press secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus said. Word of the new charges comes as Adams continues to poll in single digits in his effort to win re-election. "We have not been notified about any formal charges against Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Mayor Adams stands by her decades of public service and remains confident that the truth will prevail. Ingrid has dedicated her life to the people of New York City, and she deserves the presumption of innocence and the support of those who know her best," a spokesperson for Mayor Adams' re-election campaign said. Back in December, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleged Lewis-Martin was involved in a "quid pro quo" and had been "engaged in a long-running bribery, money laundering and conspiracy scheme by using her position and authority as the chief advisor to the New York City mayor, the second-highest position in city government, to illegally influence city decisions in exchange for in excess of $100,000 in cash and other benefits for herself and her son, Glenn Martin II." She previously pleaded not guilty to the initial indictment, which accused her of "naked cronyism" and favorable treatment of two real estate developers, Raizada "Pinky" Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi. "We allege that Lewis-Martin acted as an on-call consultant for Vaid and Dwivedi, serving at their pleasure to resolve whatever issues they had with DOB on their construction projects," Bragg said said at the time. Bragg alleged the two made two $50,000 payments to a joint bank account shared by Lewis-Martin and her son, who allegedly used the money to buy a $113,000 Porsche. Aidala previously said that all Lewis-Martin did was help constituents cut through government red tape. "We're very confident that the New Yorkers using their common sense in this courthouse will understand the ridiculousness of these charges ... I know there's a political motive here. This is ridiculous," Aidala said in December.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former top NYC Mayor Eric Adams adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin to be hit with additional charges, sources say
NEW YORK — Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the former chief adviser to Mayor Eric Adams who's under indictment on bribery accusations, is expected to be hit with more criminal charges Thursday, the Daily News has learned. Arthur Aidala, Lewis-Martin's attorney, confirmed she will appear in court Thursday to be arraigned on the additional charges. 'The District Attorney has refused to provide any details about the charges,' Aidala said. 'Despite a lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant, Ingrid is being forced to enter court with little information. What she does know is this: she has always served the City with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to every charge.' A source told The News the new charges against Lewis-Martin may be unrelated to her already existing bribery case, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Bragg's office declined to comment Wednesday. The new charges come months after Lewis-Martin was first charged in a bribery scheme involving two real estate investors accused of bribing her and her son in exchange for the top City Hall adviser securing official favors for them with the Department of Buildings. The new charges also come as Lewis-Martin, who resigned from City Hall late last year, is playing an active role in his reelection effort, as first reported by The News in June. Running as an independent in November's mayoral election, Adams already faces long odds as he faces continued political fallout from his own federal corruption indictment, which was dismissed by President Donald Trump's Justice Department as part of a controversial arrangement. 'Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing,' Kayla Mamelak, a spoksewoman for the mayor, said in response to word of Lewis-Martin's forthcoming additional charges. Lewis-Martin resigned from her powerful post at City Hall just days before she was indicted. She has pleaded not guilty in the bribery scheme, as have her son and the two businessmen. Lewis-Martin, a longtime close friend of the mayor who started worked for him in the mid-2000s when he was a state senator, was indicted in December for allegedly using her influence to expedite construction projects on behalf of two business associates, who in turn gave her professional DJ son, Glen Martin II, $100,000 for a Porsche and pledged to invest in his business ventures. At a hearing in Lewis-Martin's bribery case in March, Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Moore said a new grand jury had been convened to look at related matters. But Moore said he didn't expect the grand jury would be 'finished with anything' in potential related matters involving Lewis-Martin and her co-defendants for at least two months. Lewis-Martin resigned from her powerful post at City Hall just days before she was indicted. She has pleaded not guilty in the bribery scheme, as have her son and the two businessmen. In September, Lewis-Martin had her electronic devices seized by investigators with the DA's office after landing at JFK Airport from a trip to Japan. Also on the trip were Department of Citywide Administrative Services Deputy Commissioner Jesse Hamilton, a top real estate official for the city, and Diana Boutross, a friend to Lewis-Martin who leads much of the city's commercial leasing as an executive at Cushman & Wakefield, a firm contracted by the city to spearhead the program. Both of their phones were seized by investigators, too. Separate from the bribery scheme ensnaring Lewis-Martin's son, investigators from Bragg's office have also for months been looking into her and other top Adams aides, including Hamilton, in connection with the city government's commercial leasing programs. Hamilton, who oversees the commercial leasing program in his role at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, has faced scrutiny for his work at the agency, including for pushing for Boutross to be the lead executive on Cushman & Wakefield's contract with his agency. In October, the City Council convened a hearing to examine Hamilton's move to go back on a lease for the city's Department of Aging and instead give it to 14 Wall Street, a property owned by Alexander Rovt, a billionaire who has donated heavily to Adams. Hamilton skipped the hearing.
Fox News
13-08-2025
- Fox News
Family of Irish bikini designer found dead on yacht met with homicide detectives: lawyer
The family of Martha Nolan, an Irish bikini designer who was found dead aboard a yacht in Montauk, has met with Suffolk County homicide detectives, their attorney confirmed Wednesday. Arthur Aidala, representing the family, said they are in contact with the district attorney's office and that the investigation remains active, with witness interviews and technological analyses still underway. Such analyses can include examining phones, GPS data, and other electronic evidence to piece together a timeline of events leading up to Nolan's death on Aug. 5. "The family has had to sit down with the Suffolk County homicide detectives. They are doing a deep, deep dive. A deep investigation," Aidala said. "People still being questioned." He urged the public and media to respect the family's privacy as they seek answers while honoring Nolan's legacy: "They have a lot of questions they want to answer." Lauren Conlin, a PopCrimeTV host who was there when the attorney released the news, told Fox News Digital that she "knew there could be a lot more to this case than what has been reported." "And the fact that they are still interviewing people for additional information and details – I don't think this will be swept under the rug," she said. The 33-year-old fashion entrepreneur was found dead on a boat docked at an exclusive yacht club in Montauk, New York, on Aug. 5. The owner of the vessel, a man in his 60s who was reportedly naked when he raised the alarm, frantically ran along the dock looking for neighbors to help resuscitate her, one witness told 27East, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Less than 48 hours after Nolan's death, police ruled out foul play and the cause of death remains inconclusive pending toxicology results. The Suffolk County Police Department told Fox News that it has not released additional information since last week, following reports that police are investigating the death as a suspected drug overdose. The agency said that any new information did not emanate from them. Meanwhile, a source close to the family told Fox the cause of death remains officially inconclusive and that any report suggesting otherwise is inaccurate. The circumstances surrounding Nolan's death have sparked intrigue, as she was reportedly alone on the boat with its owner despite being in a long-term relationship with another man. It's unclear what Nolan's relationship was to the boat owner. Some reports indicate that he was an investor in her business. Additionally, she was in the process of finalizing a divorce from her husband, Sam Ryan, according to documents viewed by Fox News Digital. Their divorce proceedings got underway in March but remained unfinalized at the time of her death. The filings include a separation agreement, affidavits from both parties, and a certificate of dissolution. However, the divorce was never finalized and the two remained legally married at the time of her death. Her boyfriend at the time of her death was not on board the yacht when she became unresponsive and she had texted him that she would "Uber home" following what was described as a business outing, as reported by the Irish Independent, People who were aboard other boats at the Montauk Yacht Club on the night told 27East that the boat owner owned two boats docked next to each other at the marina and came crying for help, throwing items at neighboring boats to wake up their crews. WATCH: Forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan told "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday that an analysis of the boat, along with toxicology results, could provide vital clues about what happened. Police have not said whether anything suspicious was found on the vessel and have not suggested that any illegal activity occurred on the boat. "The question I want to know is, when they swept through this vessel, did they encounter any trove of drugs in there?" Morgan said. "And it doesn't have to be huge packages – I'm talking about baggies of things, anything indicative of current or long-standing drug abuse… syringes, coke spoons… scales if you're looking at a wider operation." "You hear the story of an individual alerting the rest of the public, and he's nude, and he's running outside of the boat screaming… I gotta tell you, man, I've got questions." Renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News Digital previously that authorities in Suffolk County should know the cause of death "within a week," pending toxicology results. In addition to her personal legal disputes, Nolan was also involved in legal conflicts related to her business dealings. According to a 2022 civil lawsuit filed by Out East Accessories Inc., viewed by Fox News Digital, she was accused of being terminated for cause in late 2021 and then stealing $34,000 from the company's bank account and its entire inventory of luxury eyewear. According to the court filing, she and another individual "ransacked Out East," sold or gifted the products without authorization, and caused irreparable financial harm to the business. Nolan denied the allegations through counsel. The case was dismissed with prejudice in July 2022 after both parties reached a confidential settlement, effectively closing the matter permanently. The Irish entrepreneur's swimwear label was flourishing in the highly competitive market and locals said they were familiar with it. Earlier in the summer, she secured a pop-up shop at Gurney's, regarded as one of the most exclusive retail spots in the Hamptons. On social media, the Irish immigrant shared behind-the-scenes footage of her brand, including photoshoots and pop-up events, as well as footage of her riding in private jets and helicopters. Locals told Fox News Digital last week that she was friendly, well-liked and deeply passionate about her business. "She was very sweet, very, very sweet… very invested in her business and actually it was starting to take off," one woman said. "She was very proud of her accomplishments."
Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
How ‘12 Angry Men' caused Weinstein mistrial
All eyes may have been on Harvey Weinstein as he awaited his fate on the 13th floor of Manhattan criminal court but it was even tenser behind the scenes. The disgraced movie mogul, who was found guilty of one count of sexual assault on Wednesday but cleared of a second, had an outstanding rape charge collapse on Thursday as tensions in his jury reached breaking point. There had been rumblings of discontent: reports of shouting, bullying – one juror is even said to have challenged another to a physical fight. Judge Curtis Farber tried in vain to keep proceedings on track, insisting these were nothing more than the 'normal tensions' which occur during the course of a trial, particularly one as high-profile as this. Nobody can be quite sure what happened behind the closed doors of the jury room, except for the 12 members of the jury. But on Thursday, the foreman headed into court and refused to return to the deliberations. For Weinstein, a fallen Hollywood titan, the drama could have challenged any of the hundreds of films he produced before he was toppled by the MeToo scandal. Addressing the foreman's concerns, Arthur Aidala, acting for Weinstein, claimed he had never heard of a case where a 'grown man who was in good physical shape' was 'so intimidated' that he point-blank refused to go back to the jury room, calling it evidence of 'gross juror misconduct'. The first signs that something was amiss came on Friday, when one of the 12 asked to be removed from the case, aggrieved that a fellow juror was being treated in an 'unfair and unjust' way by others. 'Playground stuff' was happening, with a member of the jury being shunned and spoken about behind their back, he said. Judge Farber, rejecting the defence's request for a mistrial, said: 'This is nothing other than normal tensions during heated deliberations.' Noting the juror who made the request was the youngest of the group, he suggested his age 'makes him uncomfortable with conflict'. 'Jurors attacking each other' When proceedings resumed on Monday, the foreman raised concerns that his peers were aggressively pushing others to change their mind, and straying beyond the specifics of Weinstein's charges. 'I feel like they are attacking, talking together, fighting together. I don't like it,' he said, according to a transcript of his conversation with Judge Faber and legal teams. From there the tensions steadily ramped up, with the disgraced producer addressing the court on Wednesday after a fourth complaint from a juror, pleading: 'This is not right for me… this is my life that's on the line.' The same day, Judge Farber told the court there had been 'some fighting in the jury room' and that at least one juror told another: 'I'll meet you outside one day.' 'It's 12 people who don't know each other and are randomly thrown together, and there are so many variables,' Sabrina Shroff, a veteran New York defence lawyer, told The Telegraph. 'Race is a variable, sexuality is a variable, class is a variable. So you don't really know which one of these things is at play when they're deliberating.' Lone holdouts could often end up feeling 'bullied' by their peers, she said – particularly in a high-profile trial, which breeds suspicions they have one eye on a TV or book deal afterwards. For now, the source of that conflict remains a matter of speculation, but John C Coffee, a professor at Columbia Law School, suggests it could stem from the fact that Weinstein was a major figure felled by the MeToo movement. 'This case falls on one of the leading fault lines in our society,' Prof Coffee said, arguing that society had shifted rightwards since Weinstein was first toppled from his Hollywood perch in 2017. 'Seeing this backsliding may enrage some women, or men who share a feminist view. Both sides may be trodding on the other's sensitivities' in the 'packed-in, sweaty tension' of the jury room, he continued. Bill Cosby, who was convicted of sexual assault before the decision was overturned in 2021, was another MeToo casualty. The first attempt to secure his conviction in 2017 ultimately fell apart when the jury failed to reach a consensus, amid fractious scenes that threatened to spill over into violence. According to ABC News, five sheriff's deputies were stationed outside the door of the jury room, and repeatedly barged in during arguments because they feared a brawl was taking place. One male juror on the case, which was held in Pennsylvania, is said to have become so enraged that he punched a wall. 'I think he broke his pinky knuckle,' an juror who served alongside him said. 'If we kept going, there was definitely going to be a fight.' The tensions were reportedly exacerbated by the fact that jurors were crammed into a room so small they could not stretch their legs – a situation so frustrating that some would spontaneously burst into tears. New York, where the Weinstein case was heard, works hard to keep its jurors fed, watered and content to limit disruptions, according to Ms Shroff. 'They get a snack, an 11am break and a 3pm break, and the court will send cookies or something like that,' she revealed. 'And if they don't, the jurors will send a note to the court saying that last week, yesterday, 'we didn't get cookies'.' After throwing out Weinstein's rape charge, Judge Farber said most of the jurors had denied they were riven by bullying and fighting. 'They all thought they were involved in a normal discourse, and they don't understand why the [foreman] bowed out,' he said. In the end, the jury seems to have been so hopelessly at odds that they could not even agree on how divided they were.
