On Thursday, F.B.I. agents searched two houses in the Bronx owned by Winnie Greco, a close aide to Mayor Eric Adams of New York City.
The searches were part of an investigation being conducted with prosecutors from the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the New World Mall in Flushing, Queens, as part of the investigation.
Ms. Greco, a longtime ally of Mr. Adams and director of Asian affairs at City Hall, had a medical episode during the search and was taken to the hospital by ambulance, a city official said. She will be placed on unpaid leave during the investigation.
It was not clear what the investigation was focused on or whether it was related to Mr. Adams, who has been the subject of a separate inquiry by the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan over whether his campaign conspired with the Turkish government to accept illegal foreign donations.
Mr. Adams has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Here is what to know about Ms. Greco and the investigation:
Who is Winnie Greco?
Ms. Greco is part of the mayor’s inner circle and stood onstage with Mr. Adams at his inauguration in Times Square in January 2022.
She has known Mr. Adams for at least a decade, serving as his “honorary ambassador” to the Chinese community when he was Brooklyn borough president. In 2014, a nonprofit founded by Ms. Greco paid nearly $7,000 to send Mr. Adams on an 11-day trip to China, according to The New York Post. She traveled with him to China in 2017, when they were photographed meeting with local officials.
