A chief fundraiser, whose Brooklyn home was raided as part of a federal investigation regarding potential illegal contributions to Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign, is a 25-year-old recent graduate who is on a meteoric in New York City’s Democratic politics. Fed agents burst into the home of Brianna Suggs, a campaign consultant and lobbyist for Adams on Thursday.
The investigation is reportedly linked to an alleged kickback arrangement involving the Turkish government and a construction company in Brooklyn. This raid at Sugg’s home coincided with Adams abruptly canceling a series of scheduled White House immigration meetings and returning to New York City shortly after arriving in Washington, D.C., according to reports.
Her Meteoric Rise
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Brianna Suggs, who completed her Bachelor of Science in biology at Brooklyn College in 2020, maintains strong connections to Adams’ close circle, notably with Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Lewis-Martin is referred to as the ‘Lioness of City Hall’ and serves as a key advisor and gatekeeper for the mayor.
According to one source, Suggs was even described as the political “goddaughter” of Lewis-Martin.
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Although Suggs has been promoted as a key campaign consultant and fundraiser for Mayor Adams, sources noted that her limited experience raised concerns during the 2021 mayoral race. Some attributed her seemingly prominent role to her political connections rather than her experience in the field, the New York Post reported.
“It was pretty clear she was there because of who she knew,” another source said, adding Suggs’ position was part of the “incestuous” Brooklyn political clubhouse.
“The guy was running for mayor so you’d think he would have some marquee fundraiser,” the source added.
Suggs started as an intern at Brooklyn Borough Hall in 2017 when Adams held the position of Borough President and Ingrid Lewis-Martin served as his deputy.
After her tenure as an intern, Suggs was promoted as a special liaison in the next year. Her focus during the following three years involved working on women’s health, according to her LinkedIn profile.
She moved on to Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign as a young political consultant, where she boasted of raising $18.4 million. Records from the campaign indicate that a total of $18.5 million was spent.
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During her involvement in the 2021 mayoral campaign and Adams’ 2025 re-election campaign, records reveal that Suggs earned over $150,000.
“She’s a close person [to Adams and Lewis-Martin] who might not be qualified for the job, that was the vibe,” another source said.
“In the early days of Eric’s campaign as things got more serious they bought on some other folks,” the source said. “It was sorta odd some people would raise money through her and others with other folks. To have two people was weird and a little bit redundant.”
In Troubled Waters
Thursday morning’s raid on Suggs’ home is part of a broader federal investigation into potential public corruption. This investigation focuses on finding out if illegal funds were funneled into Mayor Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign through a construction company based in Williamsburg.
No arrests were made, but Brianna Suggs received a subpoena to appear and testify before a federal grand jury, as reported by the New York Times.
Law enforcement sources said that the raid was intentionally carried out while the mayor was away from the city.
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The investigators were particularly interested in gathering evidence related to potential collaboration between Adams’ campaign, the Turkish government, and the construction company to move foreign funds into the campaign’s accounts by using straw donors.
A straw donor is a person or entity that unlawfully contributes to a campaign using another person’s or entity’s money but using their own name.
“The mayor heard of an issue related to the campaign, and takes these issues seriously, so wanted to get back to New York as quickly as possible,” Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy told The New York Post.
“He plans to return to DC and reschedule these meetings as soon as he can.”
On Thursday, Adams did not directly mention the morning’s raid or discuss his association with Suggs. However, he said he would cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
‘I feel extremely comfortable about how I comply with rules and procedures,” he told ABC News.
“I hold myself to a high standard, and I hold my campaign to a high standard, and I hold my staff at City Hall to a high standard.
“I’m very clear that it is my responsibility to hold myself to a high standard and I will comply with any inquiry that is made and I am demanding that my team do the same.”
In 2021, Suggs also started her own lobbying firm, Brianna Suggs & Associates Inc., which reportedly had only one client—a real estate group aiming to acquire a city-owned mall in Manhattan’s Chinatown, as per records.
Certain good government organizations highlighted potential conflicts of interest regarding Suggs’ dual roles as a mayoral fundraiser and a lobbyist representing real estate interests with business involving the city.
However, a spokesperson for Suggs, Jordan Barowitz, previously defended her holding these two positions, noting that according to some campaign finance experts, it didn’t breach any city laws.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Suggs was also involved in fundraising for the Kings County Democratic County Committee. She also raised funds for political figures such as Hercules Reid for the New York State Assembly and Miguelina Camilo for the state senate.
A law enforcement source said that Suggs was frequently seen alongside Adams during the 2021 mayoral race.
