The city’s Department of Investigation is probing Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams following complaints that he and his staff hit up local business and community leaders for cash to fund pet projects with money to be funneled through a nonprofit that doesn’t exist, sources told The Post.
“They’re investigating the matter,” said one source, referring to the apparent ethical lapse by the freshman borough president, first reported Tuesday by The Post.
Adams said he was unaware of the probe, saying, “Normally, the Post finds out before anybody.” He also claimed he isn’t concerned, saying he believes DOI will “find” that “nothing improper was done.”
“Whatever administrative errors that were made, I’m sure they will look at it and come up with corrected recommendations in the future, and that’s the way government operates,” he said.
The former state senator and retired NYPD cop, who took the borough’s reins in January, had his staff at a Borough Hall meet-and-greet Thursday distribute “Partner/Sponsor” application forms claiming money raised would go his “affiliated nonprofit,” called One Brooklyn, to fund various cultural events throughout the year. He still had not filed papers with the state as of Tuesday to create the nonprofit.
The activity leaves Adams and his staff open to potential fines by city’s Conflict of Interest Board since they snubbed city law by hitting people up for money in a government building without the board’s blessing. They could even face potential fraud charges if prosecutors opt to pursue, according to a top nonprofit legal expert.
Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson declined comment.
DOI also declined comment.
Adams has already come under scrutiny from the feds as they investigate an alleged Aqueduct casino bid-rigging scandal.
According a 2013 court filing, Adams was one of six Democratic politicians secretly taped at the direction of Brooklyn federal prosecutors by disgraced ex-state Sen. Shirley Huntley of Queens, who wore wire to win leniency in her fraud case.
Adams has not been charged with any crimes and said he has nothing to hide regarding Huntley’s recordings.
“I have no lingering concerns,” he said. “I made it clear that I was a great state senator. I carry out my job with a high level of integrity, the same way I did when I was a police officer.”
Adams’ predecessor, Marty Markowitz, made it a science of using his nonprofits to collect big bucks to fund concerts and other events aimed at boosting his popularity — and helping him remain in office. However, his nonprofits always passed COIB scrutiny.
When asked if he ever reached out to Markowitz for advice on how to run nonprofits as a Beep, Adams said, “No, I don’t recall ever having a conversation with him about that.”
Additional reporting by Reuven Fenton and Josh Saul