NYC Mayor Adams’ ex-aid Ingrid Lewis-Martin hosts NYC toy drive, sings Beyoncé’s ‘Cuff It’ — day after she was hit with bribery costs
Now she’s within the spirit of giving.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Mayor Eric Adams’ former chief advisor, hosted her annual toy drive in Brooklyn Friday night time and belted out the lyrics to Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” throughout karaoke — in the future after she was indicted for allegedly doling out favors to 2 New York Metropolis hoteliers in change for bribes.
The longtime Adams confidant – his No. 2 at Metropolis Corridor till her sudden resignation on Sunday – was in a festive temper whereas carrying a white turtleneck with a gold chain and black pants as she collected lots of of toys and celebrated the season of giving with greater than 100 attendees on the Paerdegat Yacht Membership.
Toys, together with Nerf Weapons, plush snowman, basketballs, and dozens of board video games have been piled excessive close to the middle of the banquet room, with Black Santa Claus collectible figurines and mini Christmas timber lining the red-clothed tables.
Lewis-Martin took middle stage throughout karaoke, singing and swaying to the Beyoncé monitor laden with expletives as others moved and grooved close by.
Lyrics to the music embody: “We gettin’ f–ked up tonight. We gon’ f–ok up the night time,” and “Come and cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, child.”
The jovial night for Lewis-Martin, 63, was a far cry from a day earlier when she was led right into a Manhattan courtroom in cuffs to face bribery, conspiracy and cash laundering costs.
The embattled ex-Adams aide allegedly traded favors to 2 actual property traders in change for greater than $100,000 in bribes – which funded a Porsche for her DJ son and different luxuries, prosecutors stated.
The years-long scheme noticed Lewis-Martin allegedly abuse her energy as senior adviser to the mayor by recklessly fast-tracking metropolis Division of Buildings permits for the rooftop bar Glass Ceiling in Koreatown and the 4-star Resort on Rivington within the Decrease East Facet for hotelier Mayank Dwivedi and actual property investor Raizada Vaid, court docket papers state.
Lewis-Martin’s son, Glenn Martin II, and the 2 builders have been additionally charged.
The alleged conspiracy noticed the general public servant allegedly insulate herself by utilizing her son, who professionally goes by DJ Suave Luciano, as an middleman for the builders to make “asks” of her.
The builders in flip showered her son with two $50,000 checks, promised to foster his vogue line and lent him a hand as he tried to open a Chick-fil-A franchise, the paperwork contend.
Martin II, 38, deposited the checks in an account shared along with his mom, after which transferred $50,000 to his enterprise, Suave Productions, earlier than utilizing it to situation a $113,000 cashier’s verify to purchase a 2023 Porsche Panamera, which he couldn’t afford on his personal, in keeping with court docket papers.
The remaining money was spent on unspecified luxurious objects and different private bills.
By utilizing DJ Suave’s financial institution accounts, Lewis-Martin additionally laundered the cash, prosecutors alleged.
Lewis-Martin surrendered to authorities early Thursday, arriving at Manhattan Supreme Courtroom carrying a leopard-print high and daring crimson lipstick alongside along with her son. She pleaded not responsible to the fees within the four-count indictment.
Her lawyer, Arthur Aidala, afterward blasted the raps as “preposterous” — and claimed that the alleged bribes have been a part of a “enterprise association” between Martin II and the businessmen that was “completely professional.”
“Ingrid knew nothing about it! Nothing, zero, zilch,” Aidala stated.
Lewis-Martin abruptly resigned from Metropolis Corridor on Sunday, a few month earlier than she was scheduled to stop.
Martin II, Vaid and Dwivedi all pleaded not responsible as nicely. All 4 have been launched with out bail and are due again in court docket Monday.
