Top Eric Adams adviser caught handing reporter a bag of chips stuffed with cash
A former senior aide to Mayor Eric Adams — who currently advises his re-election campaign — handed a reporter a potato chip bag stuffed with cash outside the campaign’s Harlem office on Wednesday, according to multiple sources and a report by The City.
Winnie Greco, 62, allegedly gave the bag to Katie Honan, a journalist for The City, after asking her to meet across the street at a TD Bank branch. From there, Greco took Honan to a nearby Whole Foods, where she handed her a crumpled bag of Herr’s sour cream and onion chips. Honan declined the bag several times, thinking it was a snack, but Greco insisted, according to the report.
Once the two parted ways, Honan opened the bag and discovered a red envelope containing at least one $100 bill and several $20 bills. The City described the exchange as a “failed payoff.” Greco, however, claimed the handoff was accidental.
“I make a mistake,” Greco said in an interview with The City. “It’s a culture thing… I don’t understand. I’m so sorry.” In a follow-up call, accompanied by her attorney, Greco pleaded, “Can we forget about this?… I just wanted to be her friend.”
Her lawyer, Steven Brill, stated that Greco’s actions were misunderstood and rooted in cultural norms. “In the Chinese culture, money is often given in a gesture of friendship and gratitude,” he said. “Winnie’s intent was purely innocent.”
Following the incident, the Adams campaign suspended Greco from any volunteer activities. A spokesperson emphasized that Greco holds no official role and that Mayor Adams had no prior knowledge of the situation.
“We are shocked by these reports,” campaign spokesperson Todd Shapiro said. “Mayor Adams has always demanded the highest ethical and legal standards.”
The Department of Investigation confirmed receiving allegations related to the incident but declined to comment further.
Greco, who resigned as the mayor’s Asian affairs adviser in October 2024, has faced scrutiny before. Her Bronx home was raided in early 2024 amid a city probe into whether she improperly used her position for personal gain. She had been largely absent from the public eye until recently reappearing on the campaign trail.
The incident emerged the same day The New York Post reported that another Adams ally, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, is expected to face additional corruption charges tied to alleged favors exchanged for political influence, possibly linked to a development project in Brooklyn.
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