In a rather bizarre turn of events, the authorities have arrested a man who allegedly filmed himself breaking into the home of New York Mayor Eric Adams on New Year’s Day.
The individual reportedly pilfered a Christmas ornament and other items in what appears to be a stunt aimed at getting attention, according to The New York Post.
Michael Aromando, 20, was arrested inside a bedroom in the mayoral mansion at 4:24 a.m. New Year’s Day, shortly after hopping a perimeter fence and leading cops on a short foot chase, sources told The Post.
Aromando was apparently filming himself during the brazen break-in, which was also captured on surveillance footage, the sources said.
After Aramando’s arrest, he showed an NYPD detective a cellphone video from his escapade depicting him swiping a Christmas ornament from a drawer, court documents show.
Adams was not home at the time, the authorities told The Post. Aromando reportedly lives only blocks away from the mayoral mansion. He has been charged with burglary and illegal entry. The court set bail at $5,000 during his arraignment. The defendant is also prohibited from going near the mansion.
The break-in comes as the mayor is facing a barrage of negative publicity related to indictments against him and members of his staff. Adams is being accused of accepting bribes in exchange for favors for the Turkish government, along with other charges. He has denied the allegations and suggested they were motivated by politics as he has been a critic of the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a former top aide for the mayor, was also indicted on bribery charges in December. She is accused of helping two businessmen who loaned her son a loan to purchase a Porsche.
Lewis-Martin has also denied the charges, saying she is “falsely accused of something” and that she has “never done anything illegal in my capacity in government.”
In a statement released on Thursday, Lewis-Martin's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, described his client as “a model citizen to the city of New York,” adding that the district attorney’s office’s “interpretation of these facts will make no sense to any New York jury.”
“To think that a high ranking city official would take a bribe in the form of a check deposited into their own bank account defies common sense,” he said. “We look forward to the citizens of the city of New York, who Ingrid has served so admirably for decades, clearing her name after a trial.”
But wait, there’s more!
On Thursday it was reported that law enforcement officers raided the home of former NYPD chief Jeffrey Maddrey, who was appointed by Adams in 2023. He is facing allegations of rampant sexual harassment that allegedly occurred throughout his career.
NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch released a statement explaining that agents “executed search warrants at several locations including his residence.”
— Jessica S. Tisch (@NYPDPC) January 2, 2025
Maddrey is accused of coercing a female lieutenant into sexual relations in exchange for more overtime hours. The former chief has denied all the charges and claims the relationship was consensual.
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