A former New York City Hall official was charged Tuesday with witness tampering and destruction of evidence, according to federal prosecutors.
Mohamed Bahi, who served in the community affairs unit of the Adams administration, is accused of asking witnesses to lie to investigators and destroying evidence linked to a federal investigation into illegal contributions to a 2021 mayoral campaign, Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced.
Bahi’s resignation from the Adams administration was confirmed by City Hall on Monday.
What You Need To Know
- Mohamed Bahi is accused of asking witnesses to lie to investigators and destroying evidence linked to a federal investigation into illegal contributions to a 2021 mayoral campaign
- Bahi allegedly took steps to obstruct an FBI’s investigation into straw donations made to a mayoral campaign in 2021
- Bahi’s resignation from the Adams administration was confirmed by City Hall on Monday
“The charges unsealed today should leave no doubt about the seriousness of any effort to interfere with a federal investigation, particularly when undertaken by a government employee. Our commitment to uncovering the truth and following the facts wherever they may lead is unwavering,” Williams said in a statement.
Investigators allege Bahi was involved in organizing a fundraiser for an unnamed city official during their campaign for New York City mayor. At the event, investigators allege four employees of an unnamed construction company contributed in their own names, but the funds were actually provided by the company’s CEO. Such contributions are often referred to as straw contributions.
“The knowing solicitation and acceptance of straw contributions can violate federal law when, for example, a political campaign makes false statements about straw contributions to a public entity to fraudulently obtain public matching funds based on the contributions, or when the straw contributions are used to smuggle foreign money into a campaign,” prosecutors said.
Bahi allegedly took steps to obstruct the FBI’s ongoing investigation into these straw donations by tampering with multiple witnesses and destroying evidence, according to prosecutors.
Specifically, prosecutors allege that after FBI agents executed a search warrant at the construction company’s CEO’s home and served subpoenas to him and the donors, Bahi reportedly met with them privately, instructing them to lie to federal investigators.
Additionally, when FBI agents executed a search warrant at Bahi’s home and seized his cellphone, he is accused of deleting the encrypted messaging application Signal, which he allegedly used to communicate with city officials.
