Federal investigators served the New York City Department of Education with a federal subpoena this week as part of their ongoing probe into recently ousted Chancellor David Banks, Politico reported.
The documents in question revolve around contracts between the DOE and companies that have ties to the Banks family, according to individuals familiar with the matter and granted anonymity. The majority of the information sought by authorities falls under the office of Emma Vadehra, deputy chancellor for operations and finance.
"The DOE staff feels that they're being dragged into this mess," one person familiar with the situation told the outlet. When asked directly about the subpoenas, a DOE spokesperson said, "New York City Public Schools does not comment on ongoing investigations."
The DOE subpoena is part of the ongoing corruption scandal surrounding Mayor Eric Adams and many of his closest inner circle.
In September, Adams was hit with a five-count indictment accusing the mayor of defrauding taxpayers out of $10 million in matching campaign funds and taking $123,000 in bribes in the form of travel perks from Turkish officials and nationals. The mayor has pleaded not guilty and vowed to remain in office.
Last week, Adams' first deputy mayor, Sheena Wright, resigned, making her the seventh senior official in the Adams administration to step aside in the wake the indictments. Wright and Banks recently were married in Martha's Vineyard, a move that some saw as an attempt to cover any pending legal entanglements by claiming spousal privilege, which affords the right of a married couple to refuse to testify against each other.
The resignations came after Gov. Kathy Hochul insisted Adams begin to purge any top officials caught up in the investigations. Politico reported that Hochul has the authority to remove Adams from office.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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