Federal authorities announced on June 24, 2026, that Frank Carone, who formerly worked as the chief of staff for former New York City Mayor Eric Adams from January 2022 to December 2022, was arrested, along with his brother Anthony Carone, Queens hotel owner Yan Po Zhu, and hotel employee Crystal Chen.
The arrests came after a federal indictment was unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York located in Brooklyn. All four of the individuals taken into custody were arraigned in federal court later the same day. The Carone brothers are charged with multiple counts, including violations of the Travel Act, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, honest services fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and tax fraud.
Zhu and Chen have been charged with bribery and conspiracy crimes. Prosecutors in the case allege that while Frank Carone was serving as Adams’ chief of staff, he took advantage of his position to influence the award of a multimillion-dollar emergency shelter contract to Zhu’s hotel located in Long Island City, Queens. The hotel was awarded $6.8 million in city payments for housing illegal immigrants and homeless people during its massive influx of migrants.
According to a report from Trending Politics News, the Carones allegedly accepted $120,000 in bribes from Zhu and Chen. The payments were sent through Anthony Carone’s law firm using checks, cash, and other methods designed to keep the transactions a secret. Several court documents cite text messages and social interactions, including visits to Zhu’s home in Long Island.
One of the messages reportedly said, “I asked my partners to pay you for a year.” Frank Carone is also being accused of trashing messages after finding out about an investigation into his activities. When bidding for the project, the hotel had their offer rejected by city agencies due to local opposition and concerns over capacity. All of a sudden, it was awarded the contract anyway.
The indictment also makes references to unnamed “relevant individuals,” including several appointees to the New York City Department of Social Services and Department of Homeless Services that were made while Adams was in office. These folks have not been arrested or charged with any crimes. A spokesperson for Adams published a statement regarding Frank Carone, saying he was a dedicated public servant for decades, going on to express support for both him and his family.
Carone’s legal representation said the charges were based on circumstantial evidence after a long investigation and slammed the way the government was approaching the case. Lawyers representing the other individuals named in the case said they will plead not guilty. The Adams administration has been under heavy scrutiny for some time now.
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In September 2024, Adams himself was federally indicted on charges including bribery, wire fraud, and illegal campaign contributions related to Turkish officials. A federal judge tossed out those charges with prejudice in April 2025. Other folks associated with Adams have also faced criminal charges, including his former chief advisor, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who was indicted on counts of bribery in 2025.
Other investigations have been launched into additional city contracting and influence matters. On the same day the Carone brothers were taken into custody, federal agents and NYPD Internal Affairs executed search warrants at the homes of several current and former NYPD officials. Former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey is one of the individuals being investigated for integrity issues and promotions within the department. Adams is not one of the defendants named in the recent indictment.
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