Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a long-time close adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, was indicted on Thursday for the second time for allegedly accepting bribes, including from Brooklyn business owners.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. and Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said Lewis-Martin allegedly accepted more than $75,000 in bribes, including $50,000 in cash directed to her son’s account, in a wide-ranging series of bribery conspiracies between March 2022 and November 2024 while serving as Chief Advisor to the mayor.
The alleged conspiracies impacted several different city agencies and at times, involved Martin's son Glenn D. Martin II and Jesse Hamilton, the former Deputy Commissioner for Real Estate Services at the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services.
Once called the "Lioness of City Hall," Lewis-Martin, who also worked alongside Adams in Brooklyn Borough Hall, was charged by the Manhattan DA for an alleged bribery conspiracy totaling more than $100,000 in December 2024. Now there are five indictments against Lewis-Martin who is accused of accepting more than $175,000 in bribes, and other additional personal benefits.
"Hardworking city employees were undermined, businesses and developers who followed the law were pushed aside, and the public was victimized by corruption at the highest levels of government," Bragg said in a statement.
There were two businesses that allegedly bribed Lewis-Martin that involved Brooklyn, according to the DA.
Broadway Stages
According to court documents and statements made on the record, between March 2022 and November 2024, Lewis-Martin allegedly interfered with a plan from the Department of Transportation to redesign and install protected bike lanes on McGuinness Boulevard, a key corridor in northern Brooklyn used by Broadway Stages Ltd., a film and TV production studio.
Gina Argento and Anthony Argento, the owners of Broadway Stages, allegedly asked Lewis-Martin to change the city's planned bike lane project that would remove lanes for vehicular traffic, according to the DA.
Lewis-Martin then designated an employee from the Mayor’s Office to be her representative with DOT, and instructed the DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez that she and that individual should be part of any discussions about DOT’s plans for McGuinness Boulevard.
She also directed that individual to discuss DOT’s plans with the Argentos, and, in turn, to relay their views and concerns to DOT. Due to her intervention, the DOT changed its plan for the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard, the DA said.
In exchange, Gina Argento allegedly transferred $2,500 to Lewis-Martin's bank account and provided over $10,000 in catering services for a Gracie Mansion event.
In addition, the Argentos allegedly secured a speaking role for Lewis-Martin on the TV series Godfather of Harlem, which was filmed at Broadway Stages. She was paid more than $800 for her appearance in the show, which also made her eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild.
Tony Argento also allegedly promised to be her “agent” and get her other roles on TV shows including the Godfather of Harlem and Blue Bloods.
Red Hook Housing Project
According to court documents and statements made on the record, Lewis-Martin, her son Martin II and Hamilton allegedly conspired to promote and push a real estate project in Red Hook on on behalf of real estate developer Yechiel Landau, the DA said.
Lewis-Martin introduced Landau to the Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce and the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development to assist with the Red Hook project.
Although the DA's Office did not disclose the details of the project, Landau has been trying to build an eight-story building with over 370 units at 498 Columbia St.
In one instance, Landau told Lewis-Martin and Martin II over Signal that an HPD representative “was giving push back” on the closing date for the project. Lewis-Martin later asked the Deputy Mayor to call her and pressured the HPD Commissioner to approve the project, according to Bragg.
Lewis-Martin went so far as to engage directly with Landau's representatives on the project by attending private meetings and phone calls without HPD or other City Hall officials present, the DA said. Due to her persistent pressure, the first phase of the project closed in December 2024. At any given time, hundreds of projects are in HPD’s pipeline, but only a few are able to close each calendar year, the DA said.
After Lewis-Martin helped Landau on two other real estate deals in Queens, Landau allegedly paid for over $5,000 worth of renovations at a property Lewis-Martin owns, including the cost of an electrical permit, and at Hamilton's residence to create a living space for Lewis-Martin's sister, including painting and garbage removal, according to the DA.
Other indictments include alleged bribes accepted by Lewis-Martin, her son and Hamilton to steer city contracts for asylum seeker shelter sites for preferred property owners and to help fast-track permit approvals for a karaoke bar in Queens, and allegedly conspiring to obtain approval for a residential renovation project in exchange for thousands of dollars of catering for events at Gracie Mansion and City Hall.
