Eric Adams, the Mayor of New York City appeared before a judge in lower Manhattan on Friday and denied federal charges of pocketing more than $10 million in illegal political gifts and contributions against him.

“I am not guilty, your honor,” Mr. Adams said, pleading not guilty to all five counts he is currently facing.

Before issuing his plea, the Mayor sat inside the courtroom stoically before giving his plea as he was read the litany of federal charges brought against him as well as recounting from prosecutors allegations that he began collecting political grifts as far back as 2016 when he was Brooklyn Borough President.

Prosecutors also motioned for Mayor Adams to be forbidden from contacting witnesses or other individuals named in his indictment and that they were willing to work out an arrangement on his ability to communicate with “persons in the mayor’s family or members of the mayor’s staff,” who may be aware of the facts in the case.

An initial arrangement hearing was held earlier Friday morning mostly for scheduling purposes. Southern District Judge Dale Ho scheduled the next appearance for Wednesday morning where it is anticipated that they will discuss any further scheduling issues and motions that Mayor Adams’ defense team may want to present. His legal team will also have the opportunity at time to request an expedited trial if they so choose to go that route.

Judge Ho also ordered the mayor to appear early this afternoon before a federal magistrate judge to enter his plea. It is presumed that he will plead not guilty. His lawyer has requested a delay in the arraignment until next week.

The Justice Department’s indictment confirmed nearly 10 months of speculation that federal investigators were probing him for allegedly accepting illegal foreign campaign donations from Turkish officials and that he accepted more than $100,000 in lavish travel gifts.

It is also alleged that Mr. Adams sought out and received “illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other things of value, from foreign nationals” and that the trail of corruption continued after his inauguration.

“Adams soon began preparing for his next election, including by planning to solicit more illegal contributions and granting requests from those who supported his 2021 mayoral campaign,” reads a line from the unsealed indictment which also alleges that he defrauded the City of New York by funneling illegal foreign donations through straw donors based in America.

Mr. Adams had allegedly crossed “bright red lines” repeatedly according to the Southern District, using his authority to curry favor with Turkey, including applying pressure to the Fire Department of New York to fast track a new high-rise to house the country’s consulate in Midtown Manhattan.

The mayor attempted to proclaim his innocence during a contentious press conference after the indictment against him was unsealed and urged the public to not let them “demonize him.”

“We expected this. This is not surprising to us at all,” he said on Thursday. “The actions that have unfolded over the last 10 months. The leaks. The commentary. The demonizing. This did not surprise us that we reached this day, and I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments.”

Mr. Adams had allegedly crossed “bright red lines” repeatedly according to the Southern District, using his authority to curry favor with Turkey, including applying pressure to the Fire Department of New York to fast track a new high-rise to house the country’s consulate in Midtown Manhattan.