NYC Mayor Eric Adams reassigns 25-year-old political fundraiser Brianna Suggs to a new role following FBI raid on her home over alleged kickback scheme - just weeks after saying he had 'full confidence' in her

New York City mayor Eric Adams has reassigned his top campaign fundraiser after her home was raided by the FBI over an alleged kickback scheme - despite previously saying he had 'full confidence' in her. 

The Democrat announced the decision regarding Brianna Suggs, 25, on Tuesday - weeks after federal agents searched her Brooklyn home as they investigate whether Adam's campaign conspired with a Brooklyn construction company and the Turkish government to funnel foreign money into its coffers.

'She is no longer doing fund-raising for the campaign,' Adams said during a press briefing, declining to provide any further details. It's not clear to which role Suggs has been reassigned to.

With Suggs' help, Adams has raised more than $2.5million for his re-election campaign. 

The FBI raid on Sugg's home came on the same day federal agents executed warrants on the New Jersey homes of Rana Abbasova, director of protocol in Adams' Office for International Affairs, and Cenk Öcal, an ex-Turkish Airlines executive who was on the mayor's transition team.

Four days later after the search at Suggs' home, FBI agents stopped Adams as he was leaving a public event, asked his police security detail to step away and took his electronic devices. 

After news of his devices being seized broke, Adams told CNN 'he has nothing to hide.'

'As a former member of law enforcement, I expect all members of my staff to follow the law and fully cooperate with any sort of investigation — and I will continue to do exactly that,' he added.

Adams had also previously said he 'sleeps well at night' as he stood by Suggs and denied any wrongdoing. 

'She is a very bright, energetic smart young lady who worked hard,' he said.

'She led the fundraising numbers when you look at the entire campaign.

'I have full confidence in her integrity and how hard she worked.

'She has done an amazing job. She will stay with the campaign team and I would love to have her to stay with the campaign team.' 

The mayor told reporters he decided to give Suggs an opportunity working in politics that 'African Americans don't get.'

'African Americans often don't get to play on a national scale, as fundraisers as media, speech writers... I had a young brilliant young lady who was an intern, hardworking, willing to work as many hours as possible,' he said.

'We saw an opportunity to open the path for her that I saw others get... she worked hard, she learned, and people who met her were really blown away, and I'm proud of her and she's going to get through this.'

Neither Adams nor anyone in his campaign have been charged with any crimes.

Suggs has worked for Adams since 2017, when she joined his staff in the Brooklyn Borough president’s office as a teenager, reporting directly to her godmother, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a longtime Adams ally who now serves as the mayor’s chief advisor.

When Adams, a Democrat, ran for mayor in 2021, Suggs served as a chief fundraiser and director of logistics, helping to organize events and solicit money from donors. Records show she has been paid more than $150,000 for her work on his previous campaign and his current reelection bid.

The New York Times obtained part of the search warrant, which revealed it was connected to an inquiry into Adams's 2021 mayoral campaign.

Authorities are investigating whether the campaign conspired with a Brooklyn construction company and the Turkish government to funnel foreign money into the campaign's coffers, apparently through a straw donor scheme.