It seems that President Erdoğan and his AKP loyalists have reinterpreted Atatürk’s famous principle, “Peace at home, peace in the world,” into something more fitting for their rule: “Bribery at home, bribery in the world.” Erdoğan’s regime, which has normalized bribery within Turkey, now appears to be exporting this tactic to American soil.
A recently unsealed indictment accuses the Turkish government of offering bribes to New York City Mayor Eric Adams through a network that includes a Turkish consul general, five businessmen, and several U.S. citizens of Turkish origin. Prosecutors allege that Turkish officials lavished Adams with expensive gifts, including $140,000 worth of business-class flights on Turkish Airlines and luxury vacations. And these “favors” were not out of generosity—they came with a price.
One glaring example involves the Turkish Consulate’s newly constructed skyscraper, the Turkish House, in New York City. Prosecutors claim Turkish officials paid bribes to overlook serious fire safety violations at the building, a 9-billion-lira investment, potentially putting lives at risk—all for the sake of Erdoğan’s grandiose show during his UN visit.
Mayor Adams, it seems, has become little more than a puppet for Turkish interests. The indictment reveals how Turkish officials demanded Adams remain silent on Armenian genocide debates, which he complied with. They also threatened to cut off donations if Adams visited a Gülenist foundation, and he backed down. As the prosecutor noted, “Adams bowed to their demands.”
The indictment also names former Turkish Consul General Reyhan Özgür, as well as high-profile Turkish business figures such as Enver Yücel, owner of Bahçeşehir University, and Demet Sabancı, a prominent businesswoman. The charges allege that Adams sold his influence for cash.
This is not Turkey’s first brush with U.S. justice. Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn accepted money from the Turkish government to pen an anti-Gülen op-ed in The Hill and spearhead a smear campaign. When the scandal broke, Flynn was forced to resign. Then there’s the infamous Reza Zarrab, who dominated U.S. headlines for his role in evading U.S. sanctions on Iran and laundering money—another case involving Turkish state actors. Even Turkey’s state-owned Halkbank is still facing trial in New York for similar allegations. Erdoğan’s close associate, Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, is also awaiting trial in Utah for money laundering charges. Not to mention the string of scandals involving Erdoğan’s bodyguards, the imprisonment of American pastor Andrew Brunson as a bargaining chip, and the four Turkish ministers implicated in various U.S. cases.
Turkey’s slide into corruption under the Erdoğan regime is no surprise. In 2023, Turkey hit its lowest-ever score on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), ranking 115th out of 180 countries with a score of just 34 points. This marked a sharp fall in integrity, with Turkey consistently declining on the CPI since 2018. The consequences of this corruption were tragically evident after the February 2023 earthquake, when bribes allowed unsafe construction in earthquake-prone areas, leading to the collapse of buildings and the loss of tens of thousands of lives.
In short, Erdoğan, who has suspended the rule of law and established a de facto dictatorship in Turkey, is now exporting his corrupt practices abroad. Bribery, abductions, torture, and even assassination plots are no longer confined to Turkey; they are being extended to countries like the U.S. and beyond.
For years, the U.S. and EU have tolerated Turkey’s transgressions due to its strategic location and role in managing the refugee crisis. However, Erdoğan has exploited this leniency to further his authoritarian agenda overseas. Until world leaders confront Erdoğan in the only language he understands, these activities are likely to continue—and escalate.
