Zoran Mamdani’s Campaign Faces Scrutiny Over Foreign Donations
New York City mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani has garnered nearly $13,000 from contributors residing outside the United States, according to a review of campaign finance records. This raises concerns regarding compliance and transparency in his fundraising efforts.
As of October 3, it appears that at least 170 of the over 54,000 donations to Mamdani’s campaign could have breached campaign finance regulations, which stipulate that only U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents may donate to political campaigns. Any illegal contributions are expected to be returned by the candidates.
By Tuesday, records indicated that 91 of these foreign donations had already been refunded, with about $5,723.50 out of $7,190 returned to international donors.
An investigation showed that Mamdani’s mother-in-law, Baria Dardari, living in Dubai, contributed $500 in January, which was reimbursed just four days later.
Additionally, records reveal that Dardari is affiliated with Genesis Healthcare in Dubai, where she practices as a pediatrician.
Overall, Mamdani’s campaign managed to raise over $4 million through private contributions, alongside $12.7 million in public matching funds, while holding $6.1 million in cash as of now. However, there are still at least 79 foreign donations pending return.
Mamdani’s campaign asserted it would return any donations not in line with Campaign Finance Board rules. Nevertheless, a response to inquiries from Fox News was not immediately provided.
In the summer, more than half of the $1 million Mamdani raised reportedly came from sources outside New York City. His campaign highlighted that he raised a total of $1,051,204.85 in July and August, with 8,628 unique contributors. Notably, 53.5% or $562,422 of the funds consisted of donations from outside the city.
With Mayor Eric Adams suspending his re-election campaign last month, New Yorkers are set to choose a new mayor on November 4. Mamdani is currently viewed as a leading candidate, notably ahead of former Governor Andrew Cuomo, now an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
