The New York Post reported that Zoran Mamdani, a Democratic candidate for mayor in New York, has allegedly received around $13,000 in foreign donations that may be illegal.
Out of approximately 54,000 donations, at least 170 are reportedly from individuals with addresses outside the U.S. According to the report, federal, state, and local laws dictate that only U.S. citizens or legal residents can contribute to political campaigns and action committees.
One notable instance includes a $500 donation from Mamdani’s mother-in-law, Baria Dardari, who resides in Dubai. This particular donation has been returned, as noted in records from the New York City Campaign Finance Commission.
To date, Mamdani’s campaign has returned $5,608 in total donations, including the one from his mother-in-law, and they plan to return any funds received from outside the country. However, the campaign has been unable to return 88 contributions totaling $7,190 that are also believed to be from foreign sources. As of Sunday, Mamdani had received just under $4 million in personal campaign contributions, according to the Campaign Finance Committee.
Eric Adams, a Democrat and current New York City Mayor who recently exited the mayoral race, has accused the Campaign Finance Commission of bias in favor of Mamdani. He claimed that the selective enforcement of rules undermines democracy, mentioning that his campaign was denied matching funds based on unsupported allegations, while Mamdani’s received millions despite the foreign contributions.
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa also raised concerns about the situation, stating, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” He implied that the issue might be more widespread, suggesting that foreign interference in campaigns poses significant risks. Notably, records indicate that Mamdani’s campaign received a $250 donation from Ugur Machit, who supposedly lives in Germany, and a $2,500 donation from James Fleureau in Australia.
As of now, Mamdani’s campaign and finance committee have not responded to requests for comments.
