New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s re-election campaign suspended a close adviser on Wednesday after she gave a journalist cash hidden inside a potato chip bag.
Winnie Greco, Mr. Adams’s former Asian affairs director, whose homes were raided by the FBI last year over suspected Chinese election interference, is in hot water again after giving over $100 to a City Hall reporter, Katie Honan, with The City.
Ms. Honan spotted Ms. Greco at an event celebrating the opening of Adams’s newest campaign office in Harlem. According to The City’s report, the political adviser then texted the reporter asking to meet across the street near a TD Bank after the event. The two met and walked to a nearby Whole Foods. Once inside, Ms. Greco handed Ms. Honan an open bag of Herr’s sour cream and onion potato chips. The reporter declined what she thought was a snack offering, but Ms. Greco insisted she keep the bag.
The two had gone their separate ways, and before entering a nearby subway station, Ms. Honan noticed the bag contained a red envelope. Upon closer inspection, she found at least one $100 bill and several $20s.
Ms. Honan immediately called Ms. Greco, saying she couldn’t accept the gift and needed to return it. Ms. Greco said she had already left the area, but after Ms. Honan insisted, she agreed they could meet later in Chinatown so she could give the money back.
Ms. Honan followed up with a text message, saying, “I can’t take this, when can I give it back to you?” Ms. Greco went silent and never replied to her request.
Following the interaction with Ms. Greco, the reporter brought the bag and cash to her editors, who contacted the city’s Department of Investigation. Lawyers for The City were contacted by federal prosecutors with the office of Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, with one arriving at the newsroom to retrieve the bag for evidence.
When reached by The City for comment, Ms. Greco insisted that she had given the cash to Ms. Honan in error and began to apologize profusely.
“I make a mistake,” she said. “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. I’m so sorry, honey.”
She then called the reporter back, begging them to spike the story.
“Can we forget about this? I try to be a good person. Please. Please. Please don’t do in the news nothing about me,” Ms. Greco said. “I just wanted to be her friend. I just wanted to have one good friend. It’s nothing.”
Ms. Greco was immediately suspended from Mr. Adams’ campaign after officials were informed of the incident by The City.
“We are shocked by these reports,” Adams campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro said in a statement. “Winnie Grecco [sic] holds no position in this campaign and has been suspended from all VOLUNTEER campaign-related activities. Mayor Adams had no prior knowledge of this matter.”
Ms. Greco’s attorney, Steven Brill, insisted that the offer of cash was a misunderstanding.
“I can see how this looks strange,” he said to The City. “But I assure you that Winnie’s intent was purely innocent. 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.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
