Construction Firm Owner Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Illegally Fund Mayor Adams' Campaign

Shamsuddin Riza, owner of United Construction Brothers Services, admitted to orchestrating a straw donor scheme to bypass campaign finance laws.

Shamsuddin Riza pleaded guilty to charges including first-degree falsifying business records and third-degree attempted grand larceny, facing three years of probation.
The scheme involved using straw donors to exploit New York City’s public matching funds program, intending to secure lucrative city contracts.
Four individuals and two companies have now pleaded guilty in connection with the illegal campaign donation operation.
The plea agreement prohibits Riza from organizing political fundraisers or soliciting campaign contributions for three years.
The FBI is also conducting a federal investigation into Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign donations, though the mayor has denied any wrongdoing.