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Mohamed Bahi

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Mohamed Bahi (also spelled "Bahe"; born 1983/1984) is an American-Algerian Muslim community activist, and the former Chief Liaison of New York City Mayor Eric Adams to the Muslim community in the mayor's community affairs office.[2][1][3] On October 8, 2024, as part of the investigations into the NYC Mayor Eric Adams administration, he was arrested and charged with federal witness tampering and destruction of evidence in connection with an investigation of alleged illegal contributions made to Adams’s 2021 mayoral campaign. He faces up to 20 years of prison time on each count.

Mohamed Bahi
Mohamed Bahi exiting federal court, October 2024
Born1983 or 1984 (age 40–41)[1]
Algeria
CitizenshipAmerican-Algerian
EmployerNew York City
TitleChief Liaison of NYC Mayor Eric Adams to the Muslim community (2022–24)

Early and personal life

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Bahi was born in Algeria, and is Muslim.[4] In 1993, he came to the United States with his family, at the age of nine.[4] He said that: "September 11 ... connected me to my belief, and made me the person I am today."[4] He now lives in Staten Island, New York.[5]

Non-profit activity

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Bahi took over the non-profit Muslims Giving Back, providing Islamic community programming and meals, and it originally operated from a mosque in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.[4] After a New York Police Department informant at the mosque engaged in surveillance of the center, the mosque kicked it out.[4][6] Muslims Giving Back worked with the ACLU to file a lawsuit against the New York Police Department for its surveillance of the group, and Bahi said: "to think that there was a whole force out there monitoring us, following us, reading our texts; that was madness."[4] The center has subsequently operated in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.[7][3][8]

Bahi also founded the Asiyah Women’s Center in Brooklyn, providing shelter support.[3][7][4] In 2018 he said that the center planned to apply for grants through then-Brooklyn Borough President Adams’s office.[8]

NYC Chief Liaison to the Muslim Community

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In 2022, Bahi became the Chief Liaison of New York City Mayor Eric Adams to the Muslim community in the mayor's community affairs office, at a salary of $80,000.[9][10][1][11] As part of his duties, in July 2023 he and Mayor Adams met with members of the Uzbek community in New York City to discuss issues pertaining to the community.[12] In January 2024, he was honored at the 8th Annual Recognition Event of the Bait-ul Jamaat House of Community in Staten Island.[13] On October 7, 2024, Bahi resigned.[1]

Indictment

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On October 8, 2024, as part of the investigations into the NYC Mayor Eric Adams administration, he was arrested and charged, with federal witness tampering -- instructing four witnesses to lie to the FBI -- and destruction of evidence, by the FBI in a criminal complaint in connection with an investigation of alleged illegal contributions made to Adams’s 2021 mayoral campaign.[14][1] In the six hours before federal agents seized his phone, he had abruptly deleted the encrypted messaging app called Signal from his phone, according to the complaint against him.[1][15][16]

Each of these charges against Bahi could carry up to 20 years of prison time.[17] Prosecutors said that the five people who allegedly made the straw donations, and were instructed by Bahi to lie, have all admitted to their participation in the Bahi scheme.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Rashbaum, William K.; Rothfeld, Michael; Rubinstein, Dana; Pallaro, Bianca (October 8, 2024). "City Hall Official Charged With Witness Tampering in Adams Inquiry". The New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  2. ^ Fleury, Michelle (October 31, 2020). "'My parents had hearts of gold, they didn't deserve it'". BBC News. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Carranca, Adriana (April 12, 2019). "She Was Forced to Marry in Bangladesh. In Brooklyn, She Made Her Escape". The New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "An Extraordinary Neighbor: Mohamed Bahe Is A Muslim Giving Back". Bklyner. March 1, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Sisak, Michael R.; Offenhartz, Jake; Brown, Ruth (October 8, 2024). "Former Aide To Eric Adams Charged With Witness Tampering, Destroying Evidence". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Gedeon, Joseph (September 7, 2021). "How The NYPD Infiltrated A Muslim Charity In The Years After 9/11". Gothamist. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "2023 Power of Diversity: Middle Eastern & North African 50". City & State NY. August 28, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  8. ^ a b McShane, Julianne (October 19, 2024). "Safe haven: City's first shelter for Muslim women and children fleeing abuse opens in Southern Brooklyn". Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  9. ^ Jacobs, Shayna (October 8, 2024). "Ex-Adams official charged with witness tampering, destroying evidence". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Helmore, Edward (October 8, 2024). "Former aide to Eric Adams arrested on charges of witness tampering". The Guardian. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  11. ^ Moloney, Síle (October 8, 2024). "Former City Hall Official Mohamed Bahi Charged with Witness Tampering, Destruction of Evidence". Norwood News. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  12. ^ "NYC Mayor hosts a roundtable with the Silk Road Foundation, Uzbek community leaders". Voice of Southern Asia. July 19, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  13. ^ Santos, Gracelyn (January 19, 2024). "Staten Island's Best Dressed: Bait-ul Jamaat House of Community's Awards at Snug Harbor Cultural Center". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  14. ^ "Former City Hall official arrested, accused of obstructing investigation into Mayor Eric Adams". WABC-TV. October 8, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  15. ^ Campbell, Jon; Brand, David (October 8, 2024). "Mayor Adams adviser charged with witness tampering, destroying evidence in straw donor probe". Gothamist. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  16. ^ "Former Adams aide charged with obstructing federal probe," Crain's, October 8, 2024.
  17. ^ Dienst, Jonathan (2024-10-08). "Ex-Adams aide charged with witness tampering in campaign finance probe day after resigning". NBC New York. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  18. ^ Sommerfeldt, Chris; Crane-Newman, Molly; Stratman, Josephine (October 8, 2024). "Former Adams aide Mohamed Bahi charged in NYC City Hall federal corruption investigation". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
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