Adams Adviser Suspended After Cash Handed to Journalist in Chip Bag

A close adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Winnie Greco, was suspended from his re-election campaign on Wednesday after she allegedly gave a journalist more than $100 in cash hidden inside a potato chip bag. The incident, which occurred in Harlem, involved Katie Honan, a reporter for The City, who subsequently reported the matter to authorities.

The encounter unfolded after Greco and Honan attended an event at Adams' new campaign office. Greco later texted Honan, asking to meet her at a nearby Whole Foods. Inside the store, Greco handed Honan an opened bag of Herr's Sour Cream & Onion potato chips, insisting she take them despite Honan's initial refusal. Upon inspection, Honan discovered a red envelope containing at least one $100 bill and several $20 bills.

Honan immediately contacted Greco to return the money but received no response. She then informed her editors at The City, who reported the incident to the New York City Department of Investigation. Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's office for Brooklyn have since contacted the newspaper's lawyers, and the money is now in their possession.

Winnie Greco later apologized, stating, > "I make a mistake. I'm so sorry. It's a culture thing. I don't know. I don't understand. I'm so sorry. I feel so bad right now." Her attorney, Steven Brill, supported this explanation, asserting, "In the Chinese culture, money is often given to others in a gesture of friendship and gratitude. Winnie is apologetic and embarrassed by any negative impression or confusion this may have caused."

In response to the reports, Adams' campaign spokesman, Todd Shapiro, stated, "We are shocked by these reports. Winnie Greco holds no position in this campaign and has been suspended from all volunteer campaign related activities." Shapiro added that Mayor Adams had "no prior knowledge of this matter" and "has always demanded the highest ethical and legal standards."

Greco, a longtime ally of Mayor Adams and former director of Asian affairs at City Hall, has faced previous scrutiny. Her homes were searched by the FBI in February 2024 as part of a federal probe into suspected interference by Chinese officials in the city's 2021 mayoral race, leading to her resignation from City Hall in October 2024. This latest incident adds to a series of ethical and legal questions that have shadowed the mayor's administration, including past federal corruption charges against Adams himself, which were later dismissed.