Danielle Sassoon, who has been the acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) since the departure of the previous acting head, Edward Kim, has reportedly resigned from her position.
According to a Feb. 13 New York Times report, Sassoon resigned after a US Justice Department official appointed by President Donald Trump directed her not to proceed with a corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Sassoon was one of the attorneys behind the prosecution of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and many cases involving individuals connected to the crypto industry.
The US Attorney’s office indicted Mayor Adams on corruption charges in September 2024 over allegations he accepted illegal donations from the Turkish government. Trump defended Adams shortly after the indictment dropped, claiming that the mayor was targeted due to his criticism of the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Adams also visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago compound before the US President’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
Emil Bove, the acting US deputy Attorney General and one of Trump’s criminal defense attorneys, issued the order directing Sassoon to pause Adams’ case until the Senate could confirm an SDNY attorney. Lawmakers are expected to address Trump’s pick for the next US Attorney for SDNY, Wall Street insider and former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Jay Clayton.
At the time of publication, it’s unclear who will replace Sassoon in an acting capacity.
Related: Indicted NYC mayor leaves questionable crypto legacy as controversy mounts
“Pro-crypto” mayor facing corruption charges
Adams, who assumed office in 2022, was known in the crypto industry after his campaign pledge to accept his first three paychecks in Bitcoin (BTC). After two years, when the price of the cryptocurrency surged by more than 50%, the NYC mayor gloated about his holdings to members of the press.
During his 2021 campaign, Adams pledged to make New York City the “center of Bitcoins.” In 2022, the New York Senate passed a two-year moratorium on proof-of-work mining operations not using non-renewable energy in the state — a bill that Adams requested the governor veto.
The indictment against Adams alleges the mayor received travel perks from people connected to the Turkish government in exchange for favors. The favors allegedly included Mayor Adams pushing through the opening of a new Turkish consulate building in NYC without a required fire safety certification.
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