Author: Nicholas Fandos, Debra Kamin
Compiled by: Chopper, Foresight News
Original Title: After Stepping Down as New York Mayor, He Turned to Selling Cryptocurrency
Two weeks ago, Eric Adams held one of the most powerful positions in the U.S. government system; today, he stands under the neon billboards of Times Square, promoting a New York City-themed cryptocurrency.
For anyone else, such a shift in identity might be embarrassing, but the former mayor of New York was all smiles, enthusiastically discussing the advantages of blockchain technology and promising not to profit from it for the time being.
"I've missed you all so much, ladies and gentlemen," he said to a group of reporters, before shifting gears to criticize his successor's "major mistakes," talk about business opportunities in foreign capitals, and admit that his experience in municipal services like garbage collection has now become monetizable "expert capital."
This was his first public appearance since leaving office on January 1, but it was cut short because he had to catch a flight. He was headed first to Dallas, then to Senegal, claiming more opportunities awaited him there.
The 65-year-old Adams is one of the most unconventional mayors in New York City's history: from a working-class background, a former police officer, yet federally indicted for his pursuit of a luxurious lifestyle. All signs indicate that his post-mayoral career will continue this "unconventional" approach.
Just in the past two weeks, he met with a Saudi prince in Dubai, visited the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and repeatedly attacked his successor, Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of overturning some of the pro-Israel policies implemented during his term. This move broke the unwritten tradition of former mayors showing respect to their successors.
Many details of Adams's business dealings remain shrouded in mystery, including his partnership in the cryptocurrency project. But his core post-mayoral agenda is becoming increasingly clear: restoring his personal reputation, attacking his successor, and repaying the massive debts incurred from legal battles. The priority among these three remains unclear.
"I won't be taking a nine-to-five salaried job," Adams said. "I only work for myself."
Adams isn't the only one planning his post-office livelihood while targeting Mamdani. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is finalizing a deal to host a weekly show on the conservative talk radio station WABC, where he was a frequent guest during his unsuccessful campaign.
According to the New York Post, the show will provide Cuomo with a platform to promote his centrist Democratic political views, and he will likely use it to criticize Mamdani, whom he previously called a "far-left radical."
The station's owner, Republican billionaire John Catsimatidis, said he does not plan to pay Cuomo, but simply wants to help him after his electoral defeat. The broadcast time slot has not been finalized. "We feel sorry for what happened to him, and we love New York deeply," Catsimatidis said. "He wants to maintain public visibility and stay connected with New Yorkers."
But so far, Adams's post-mayoral performance is undoubtedly more eye-catching.
Just hours after attending Mamdani's inauguration, he boarded an Emirates flight to Dubai with his long-time partner, Tracey Collins. Besides the Saudi prince, he was photographed meeting with several wealthy Israeli and Uzbek businessmen.
Numerous current and former political figures attended Zohran Mamdani's mayoral inauguration, with Adams among them
He dined with real estate agent and reality TV star Eleonora Srugo and posted a photo on social media with Amir Marashi. Marashi, born in Iran, is a New York gynecologist and women's health advocate specializing in procedures like vaginal rejuvenation.
Meanwhile, Adams has kept a close eye on developments in New York City. He frequently posts on social media to express dissatisfaction with Mamdani's policies: for example, Mamdani's reversal of the expanded definition of antisemitism previously adopted by the city, and质疑 (questioning) some of his personnel appointments.
"Everyone deserves a grace period, but hate doesn't allow grace for anyone," Adams said at Monday's event.
Mamdani, at another event, declined to respond to Adams's criticism.
Adams's interest in cryptocurrency is not new. During his tenure as mayor, he chose to receive his first paycheck in cryptocurrency; he is close friends with cryptocurrency billionaire Brock Pierce, who, along with other crypto industry figures, funded his campaign last fall before he dropped his re-election bid.
Adams made "support for Israel and combating antisemitism" a core part of his administration, and he has packaged this new token as a public welfare project, claiming its proceeds will be used to fight antisemitism, anti-Americanism, and "teaching children to embrace blockchain technology."
The token's official website states its total supply will be 1 billion tokens. Adams said he would donate the proceeds from some of these tokens to non-profit organizations dedicated to the aforementioned causes and stated that he would not receive a salary or any compensation, at least initially.
"NYC Token is a new generation cryptocurrency inspired by the relentless energy and innovative spirit of New York City," the project's website reads. "Leveraging cutting-edge blockchain technology, we are building a decentralized financial ecosystem with ambitions matching those of the city itself."
Nevertheless, Adams seemed somewhat struggling when describing the project's details on multiple occasions. During Monday's event and in an interview with Fox News, he repeatedly misnamed the new product as "New York City Coin."
Adams's image is prominently featured on the token's website, which invites visitors to "Buy Now," but as of Monday evening, all purchase links on the site were non-functional.
The former mayor said he is also exploring other business areas, including plans to be advanced during this week's trip to Africa.
"I realized that many services New York City has, even garbage collection, are hard to find in many parts of the world," Adams said. "I plan to provide such assistance to other cities and countries."
All these actions raise questions about whether Adams will continue to reside in New York in the future. He previously stated his desire to retire in an overseas city rather than return to his home in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
But two people familiar with the matter revealed that the former mayor plans to keep New York City as his base and intends to rent an apartment in Manhattan, preferably with a view. Adams himself tried to dispel doubts during Monday's event. "I'm not going anywhere," he said.
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