A former chief of staff to ex-New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been charged for allegedly accepting more than $100,000 in bribes amid a federal investigation.
“Frank Carone is accused of accepting $120,000 in exchange for a lucrative emergency migrant shelter contract for a hotel in Queens,” ABC7 New York reports.
The federal indictment unsealed Wednesday cites multiple charges, including bribery, wire fraud, money laundering, and other alleged crimes.
Breaking News: Frank Carone, a Brooklyn power broker and close associate of former Mayor Eric Adams of New York, was arrested on federal corruption charges, two people familiar with the matter said. https://t.co/9qGNlbBKG0
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 24, 2026
ABC7 New York shared further:
In 2022, during the influx of migrants into New York, the city needed to rent entire hotels to accommodate asylum-seekers using emergency contracts.
ADVERTISEMENTCarone allegedly accepted $120,000 in bribes from two co-defendants, Crystal Chen and Yan Po Zhu, in exchange for steering a multimillion-dollar emergency contract to a Microtel in Long Island City, Queens, that they controlled, federal prosecutors alleged.
To conceal the bribes, the payments were allegedly funneled through an account that Carone’s brother, Anthony, controlled, the indictment said.
The indictment included photographs of Zhu and Carone socializing at Zhu’s Long Island home in June 2022, a time when the indictment said Zhu and Chen’s efforts to secure an Emergency Shelter Contract through other means were stalling.
“Zhu leveraged his burgeoning personal relationship with the defendant, Frank V. Carone,” the indictment said.
The city ultimately awarded Microtel a nearly $7 million contract, even though it was smaller than another Long Island City hotel under consideration.
“Today, FBI New York, @EDNYnews, IRS – Criminal Investigation New York Office, and New York City Department of Investigation announced an indictment charging Frank Carone, Anthony Carone, Crystal Chen, and Yan Pao Zhu for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme that capitalized on funding meant to address New York City’s migrant crisis,” FBI New York stated.
“The charges include fraud, bribery, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and tax fraud,” it added.
Today, FBI New York, @EDNYnews, IRS – Criminal Investigation New York Office, and New York City Department of Investigation announced an indictment charging Frank Carone, Anthony Carone, Crystal Chen, and Yan Pao Zhu for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme that capitalized… pic.twitter.com/iAXIvIdceB
— FBI New York (@NewYorkFBI) June 24, 2026
More from the Associated Press:
Carone’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said the indictment “epitomizes the government first finding a target and then spending three years and enormous taxpayer resources to find a crime.”
ADVERTISEMENTCarone’s brother, Anthony Carone; hotel owner Yan Po Zhu, and hotel employee Crystal Chen also were charged with crimes that carry the potential for up to 20 years in prison if they are convicted. All pleaded not guilty through their attorneys.
Zhu “is anxious to establish his innocence,” lawyer Stephen Scaring said.
Carone, a former Brooklyn Democratic Party lawyer and longtime political power broker, is widely credited as one of the architects of Adams’ political rise. He also drew attention for his role in an episode that led to a Brooklyn pastor being stripped of his duties partly for allowing pop star Sabrina Carpenter to film scenes for a provocative music video at his Roman Catholic church.
Carone played a key role in Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign and served as Adams’ chief of staff in 2022. In 2023, Carone formed a political consulting firm.
Carone “dedicated decades of his life to public service, the legal profession, and helping countless individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations throughout New York,” Adams spokesperson Todd Shapiro said in a statement.
