Top Adams adviser Tim Pearson resigns amid federal corruption probes

NEW YORK — Tim Pearson, one of the most Mayor Eric Adams’ influential advisers, has submitted a letter of resignation less than a week after the mayor was indicted on federal corruption charges, a source directly familiar with his decision told the New York Daily News.

The source, who’s close to the mayor and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Pearson submitted a resignation letter with Adams late Monday.

A lawyer for Pearson did not immediately return a request for comment. His resignation was first reported by The New York Times.

The resignation comes just days after Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Adams from office, advised the mayor he needed to assure New Yorkers of stability in his leadership.

Pearson, a former NYPD officer who served with Adams in the police department, was among more than a half dozen top aides to the mayor who had their homes raided and electronics seized by federal investigators earlier this month as part of several separate corruption investigations.

In addition, Pearson faces four lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and professional retaliation against subordinates.

Adams initially resisted calls for him to fire Pearson. As first reported by the Daily News, Lisa Zornberg, Adams’ chief counsel at City Hall, resigned earlier this month after the mayor rejected her demand for him to push out Pearson.

Pearson came under scrutiny first in late 2022 when it emerged he was earning both a city salary and still collecting a salary from Resorts World Casino in Queens, where he was vice president of security. He surrendered the casino role after his dual employment cam to light.

In October 2023, Pearson got into a scuffle with two security guards at a migrant shelter. The guards were arrested, but the focus turned to Pearson’s handling of the incident.

In late March, the first of four lawsuits against was filed alleging he used his outsized influence in the NYPD to retaliate against three now-retired cops and a chief in a special mayoral unit.

Roxanne Ludemann sued first, claiming Pearson sexually harassed her and blocked her promotions. Two other officers who backed her allegations – Sgt. Michael Ferrari and Lt. George Huang – were shunted to patrol positions and they retired.

Chief Miltiadis Marmara, the supervisor of the other three, sued in June. It was unusual for an active duty chief to file a public lawsuit.

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