NYC real estate mogul with Turkish ties pleads guilty in historic Mayor Adams bribery case

NYC real estate mogul with Turkish ties pleads guilty in historic Mayor Adams bribery case

A Brooklyn real estate mogul who allegedly showered Mayor Eric Adams with illegal donations at the behest of a Turkish diplomat will admit to committing a crime, authorities said Friday – the first admission of guilt to emerge from the historic corruption case.

Erden Arkan, the Turkish-born owner of KSK Construction Group in Williamsburg, “has indicated he would like to plead guilty” after being charged with conspiracy and wire fraud, prosecutors said.

Arkan is accused of arranging fake “straw donations” to Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign at the direction of Reyhan Özgür, a Turkish official who allegedly arranged for Adams to receive free or discounted travel on Turkish Airlines flights.

KSK owner Erden Arkan Instagram/@teachstats
Earth Arkan seen in a social media photo. Instagram @erden1949
Eric Adams is seen at the South Street Helipad on December 19, 2024. GC images

Özgür allegedly lobbied Adams to expedite the opening of the country’s consulate building, court documents say.

“I’m so busy, thank you,” he told The Post after reached by phone.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Adams, for his part, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the historic indictment of a sitting New York mayor.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *