A federal investigation into Eric Adams is focusing on a lesser-known Turkish businessman.

• The relationship between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and a Turkish businessman is being scrutinized.
• Enver Yucel was a crucial figure in the alleged scheme by Adams and his campaign to unlawfully obtain funds from foreign donors.
• Adams has said he's innocent.

According to CNBC, federal prosecutors have focused on the relationship between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Turkish businessman Enver Yucel, as indicated by the indictment and other public records, including campaign finance documents.

On Thursday, a federal indictment was unsealed, accusing Adams and his team of participating in a 2021 campaign fundraising scheme with an individual referred to as "Businessman-1." This man is believed to be Yucel, the owner of universities in Turkey and Washington, D.C., including Bahcesehir University and Bay Atlantic University.

The indictment portrays Yucel as a Turkish businessman who owned a university and facilitated Adams' trip to the country in 2015, during his tenure as Brooklyn borough president.

In December 2015, Mayor Adams met with Yucel in Turkey as part of his second trip that year, with Bahcesehir being the only university contributing to the trip's expenses, as stated in an August 2015 letter from New York's conflict of interest board.

Neither the leaders of the two Yucel-owned universities nor the email address listed on Yucel's personal website responded to requests for comment. A spokesman for Adams directed CNBC to his personal attorneys, who also did not respond to requests for comment.

Adams has said he's innocent and did nothing wrong.

Yucel was accused of playing a crucial part in the illegal fundraising scheme led by Adams and his campaign for his 2020 mayoral campaign.

In November 2018, a wealthy Turkish national who owned a for-profit educational conglomerate in Turkey and whom Adams met in 2015 visited New York City for a meeting with Adams, according to prosecutors.

At the meeting, Businessman-1 offered to contribute to Adams' campaign for mayor, but prosecutors claim that Adams, despite knowing the laws prohibiting foreign donors, instructed one of his aides to obtain the illegal contributions.

Federal prosecutors stated in their indictment that Adams wrote to the Adams Staffer, expressing that Businessman-1 was "ready to help" and that he did not want his willingness to assist be wasted.

In 2021, Adams, his advisor, and Yucel carried out their plan to illegally funnel Businessman-1's money to the 2021 campaign, knowing that these donations would violate the law against U.S. political campaigns receiving contributions from foreign nationals, according to the indictment.

The decision was made in August 2021 to channel Businessman-1's contribution to the 2021 campaign through the Turkish University's U.S.-based staff.

On September 27, 2021, five employees of Bay Atlantic University donated a total of $10,000 to the Adams campaign in New York City.

The date of the contributions within campaign finance records matches the day when prosecutors claim the "Turkish University made its straw contribution."

Adams falsely claimed the U.S.-based Turkish University employees were the true donors in a disclosure statement to the Campaign Finance Board before eventually receiving a refund of the contributions, according to the documents.

In November 2021, Yucel shared a photo of himself with Adams on Instagram after the latter won the mayoral race.

Yucel congratulated his friend Eric Adams on becoming the new mayor of New York City and wished him continued success in his future endeavors.

In the photo, Adams and Yucel are holding a book titled "How Not to Die" while standing together.