A day after pleading not guilty to federal charges, New York City Mayor Eric Adams spent part of his Saturday at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Queens, attending the installation service for a new reverend. During his remarks, Adams highlighted the significance of the moment, stating, “A new marquee player has now taken the court in our spiritual journey, following the success of his two famous predecessors.”

This appearance came just a day after Adams became the first sitting New York City mayor to face criminal charges in court. At his arraignment on Friday, he pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, wire fraud, and accepting improper campaign contributions. “I am not guilty, your honor,” Adams told Judge Katharine Parker, waiving the public reading of the 57-page indictment, which he said he had already reviewed.

The indictment, unsealed on Thursday, accuses Adams of receiving a range of improper gifts from Turkish officials and businesspeople, including luxury hotel stays and discounted airline tickets to various international destinations such as France, China, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. The charges against Adams include bribery, solicitation of illegal foreign campaign contributions, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud—offenses that could lead to significant prison time if he is convicted.

Prosecutors allege that Adams accepted flight upgrades and accommodations valued at over $100,000, while also receiving campaign contributions from straw donors, some of which helped him qualify for over $10 million in public matching funds. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said, “Mayor Adams took these contributions knowing they were illegal and aimed at buying influence.” According to the indictment, Adams failed to disclose these gifts, as required by law, instead claiming year after year that he received no such benefits.