Former Adams’ administration official arrested on bribery charges

Former Citywide Public Housing Liaison Anthony Herbert was arrested on corruption charges for allegedly taking bribes while working for the city. Photo taken from Facebook/Tony Herbert

By Noah Powelson

A former aide to Mayor Eric Adams was arrested by federal authorities on Tuesday for allegedly using his position in city government to “create a side hustle of bribery and fraud,” according to investigators.

The United States Attorney office for the Southern District of New York announced they had arrested and indicted Anthony Herbert, the former citywide public housing liaison at the New York City Mayor’s Office under Adams. The feds accused Herbet of taking bribes in exchange for influencing City Council members and other city officials to approve contracts to certain companies.

According to the 25-page indictment unsealed on Tuesday, Herbert had two distinct schemes to get cash payments in exchange for his influence.

In one scheme, Herbert allegedly received thousands of dollars in cash payments from an individual at a security guard company, who the indictment did not name, in exchange advising and pressuring other city officials to award the security guard company with city contracts. The deals allegedly included contracts for providing services at New York City Housing Authority developments, where Herbert was responsible for serving as a voice for City Hall.

The other scheme was very similar in nature, where Herbert allegedly received thousands of dollars in payments to influence other city officials to approve payments to a particular funeral home as part of a financial assistance program for burial services for low-income families. The director of the funeral home, who was unnamed in the indictment, was allegedly the one paying Herbert for this scheme.

Herbert was further accused – before he began working for the city – of submitting a fraudulent loan application on behalf of an allegedly fictitious baking goods company he claimed to operate. Herbet allegedly applied for the loan in 2021, and received over $20,000 through the Paycheck Protection Plan loan program that was created to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“New Yorkers deserve honest and competent public officials,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. “As alleged, at a time when Anthony Herbert was serving as City Hall’s liaison to the city’s public housing residents, he engaged in blatant pay-to-play schemes to enrich himself. The women and men of the Southern District of New York are committed to holding accountable government officials who abuse their positions of trust to benefit themselves.”

Herbert was first brought on to work for the Office of the New York City Mayor’s Community Affair Unit in February of 2022. He first worked as the Brooklyn borough director for Community Affairs until February of 2023, when he was then appointed as the citywide public housing liaison.

As a liaison, he was responsible for engaging with residents and leadership at NYCHA housing on behalf of the city.

Herbert was fired from the position in September 2025, after making several social media posts about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot during a public event in Utah. Herbert called Kirk’s death an “unfortunate shooting” in the posts, but also called Kirk a racist and referred to his death as “karma.” The posts drew widespread condemnation, including from City Hall spokespersons, and Herbert was fired on Sept. 11, 2025.

Federal prosecutors on Tuesday said Herbet was arrested after being hit with widespread corruption charges, in which he allegedly received over $16,000 in bribes and kickbacks.

“It’s alleged Anthony Herbert used his position in the NYC Mayor’s Office to create a side hustle of bribery and fraud,” IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. said in a statement. “He allegedly took advantage of his role to line his pockets by offering unfair advantages to certain businesses.”

Herbert faces two counts of bribery, and one count each of honest services wire fraud, wire fraud, program fraud and extortion under color of official right.