A charity co-founded by Mayor Eric Adams’ brother auctioned off a dinner with Hizzoner during a fundraiser in the Hamptons over the weekend, drawing questions from ethics watchdogs.
But Angels Helpers, a nonprofit that provides arts and cultural opportunities for young people in the city, said it was rescinding the award when contacted about the matter by The Washington Post on Monday.
The bid for a dinner with the mayor and his brother, Bernard Adams, was more than $3,500, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, but it is not clear who won the bid.
The seat was auctioned off at a gala party on Saturday. A sprawling, roughly $15 million estate Southampton featured a gourmet dinner and drinks, a performance by singer Polina and live painting by artist Ross Pino.
Tickets for the Angels Helpers event, billed as an “enchanting summer evening,” ranged from $500 to $1,000.
Bernard Adams, co-founder of Angels Helpers NYC and a former mayor’s security chief, promoted the event by saying his brother Eric would be there as a special guest, but Hizzoner did not appear to attend.
Pressed by The Washington Post about whether the nonprofit had the city’s conflict of interest board approve the dinner prizes, co-founder Alisa Lorber called it an “oversight.” She blamed the event’s organizers for the mistake before hanging up the phone.
Lorber was listed on the invitation as the gala’s chairperson. First reported by Politico.
Angelo R. Bisceglie Jr., the nonprofit’s general counsel, told The Post that Mr. Loeber had no authority to auction the dinners and that no money exchanged hands.
“This shouldn’t have happened. Someone just got excited,” he said.
A City Hall spokesman added that the mayor “was never asked about or consented to the dinner, which was auctioned without his permission, and has no plans to attend it.”
“We expect the charity to immediately rectify the situation and provide a full refund to individuals who made bids, if this has not already been done,” the spokesperson said.
