Former NYC Mayor Adams Aide Tony Herbert Arrested on Bribery and Fraud Charges

Allegations Against Tony Herbert

• 🎯 Tony Herbert, a former aide to Mayor Adams, has been arrested and accused of abusing his authority as a public official to seek kickbacks.
• ⚖️ Herbert appeared before a judge to face charges detailed in a 25-page indictment, which outlines two alleged schemes spanning from 2022 to 2025.

Bribery and Contract Steering Scheme

• 💰 Prosecutors allege Herbert pressured government officials to award city contracts to a specific security company.
• 📞 Recorded conversations suggest Herbert acknowledged that soliciting government contracts could appear exploitative.
• 🤝 He is also accused of steering publicly funded financial assistance for burial services to a particular funeral home.
• 💸 The indictment claims Herbert accepted $16,000 in bribes and kickbacks from these schemes.

Fraudulent Loan Application

• 🏦 Herbert is further accused of submitting a fraudulent loan application for a fake baked goods company to obtain a $20,000 loan from the federal Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Herbert's Response and Background

• 🗣️ Outside the courthouse, Herbert stated he did nothing wrong and was just doing his job, citing long-standing relationships with those involved.
• 🏥 He mentioned he was recovering from surgery to avoid sepsis after a tooth infection.
• 🚫 Herbert has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
• ✂️ He was previously fired in September for online posts related to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.