Zohran Mamdani’s New York mayoral campaign reportedly accepted nearly $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign contributions.
That haul included a $500 donation from his mother-in-law in Dubai, according to an investigation by the New York City Campaign Finance Board into campaign filings.
Records reviewed by the New York Post show at least 170 contributions from donors with foreign addresses, despite federal, state, and city laws barring foreign nationals from giving to U.S. campaigns.
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa told the Post this is likely just the tip of the iceberg of Mamdani campaign corruption.
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Sliwa said. “There is probably a lot more in terms of foreign money.”
This is not the first allegation of public corruption levied against Mamdani’s Democrat mayoral campaign. In early summer, independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo blasted his liberal opponent for “stealing affordable housing.”
Cuomo proposed “Zohran’s Law” aimed at preventing wealthy individuals like him from occupying rent-stabilized apartments intended for lower-income residents.
“You say freeze the rent. But for who? Rich people like you?” Cuomo posted on X. “Hardworking, working class New Yorkers are being pushed from their neighborhoods.
“Let’s build affordable housing that helps the people who need it. Under Zohran’s law, landlords can no longer rent vacant rent-controlled units to the wealthy.
“You are a rich person stealing affordable housing from the poor. And you’re not the only one. It’s past time we address this injustice.
“Let’s build a new NYC that works for the people who need it.”
When reached for comment on why the campaign was caught taking in foreign cash donations, Mamdani’s campaign said it would be returning the money, apparently suggesting it was unaware of foreign funding.
“We will of course return any donations that are not in compliance with CFB law,” Mamdani’s campaign told the Post in a statement.
Eighty-eight donations totaling $7,190 have yet to be returned, even after the campaign was presented with a list of outstanding contributions, according to the report. The campaign declined to explain the delay.
The $4 million campaign, buoyed by $12.7 million in public matching funds, reported returning just $5,608 so far, including the Dubai donation from Bariah Dardari, Mamdani’s mother-in-law, according to the Post. Donors also include professionals in Canada, Germany, and Australia, with contributions ranging from $1 to the maximum $2,100.
The city’s campaign finance board said it is auditing all campaigns this cycle but declined further comment to the Post.
Mamdani, an avowed democratic socialist and current mayoral front-runner, faces the controversy less than a month before election day in the infamously Democrat stranglehold of New York City.
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