Zoran Mamdani, who amusingly calls himself a “Nepo Baby,” has recently reported only $2,000 in his bank account in his latest state disclosure.
This is quite peculiar considering his privileged background and an annual salary of $131,000 as a state legislator, a position he has held for five years.
The 33-year-old candidate for New York City mayor, representing the Socialist Democratic Party, also mentions owning four acres of land in Uganda, valued between $150,000 and $250,000, which he inherited roughly a decade ago.
However, there’s no mention of any US-based properties or investments in the forms submitted to the state this week.
Interestingly, the $2,000 reported stems from a retirement plan linked to a social justice organization called Chaya, where he worked briefly before his election in 2020 to represent District 36 in Queens.
He has consistently disclosed the same amount—“less than $2,000”—for five years, according to the state’s Legislative Ethics Committee.
Political strategist Hank Shenkopf commented, “More drama from a man who grew up with three silver spoons in his mouth.” He added that believing Mamdani to be struggling financially might indicate a need for psychological evaluation. “This is a complete lie. He’s trying to sell this narrative that he’s poor,” Shenkopf noted.
While Mamdani grew up in subsidized housing, it’s worth mentioning he’s currently renting a stable apartment, yet he has voiced concerns about rising rents.
State legislators are only required to report on investment and retirement accounts, without needing to disclose the actual amounts in their typical savings or checking accounts. Trust funds set up by relatives also remain undisclosed.
His mother, Mira Nia, is an accomplished film director who has received an Academy Award and multiple nominations. She created a film for Disney and a Netflix series.
In 2019, Nia sold a two-bedroom residence in West Chelsea for $1.45 million, a place they had lived in for over ten years.
On the other hand, his father, Mahmoud Mamdani, has chaired the African History and Colonialism department at Columbia University and has penned over 12 books, with professors in similar roles earning an average of $308,000 annually.
The couple resides in an Ivy League neighborhood in a taxpayer-subsidized three-bedroom apartment in Upper Manhattan, which has a weekly maid service.
Shenkopf believes Mamdani’s rhetoric is disingenuous, saying, “It’s an attempt to present himself as a man of the people while he is as distant from them as Nelson Rockefeller.”
Critics have pointed to previous incidents involving Mamdani as evidence that he’s trying to portray a socialist image while maintaining a lifestyle far removed from his rhetoric.
“A child in a permanent theater pretending to be from the ‘Third World’ is just performance art—it’s absurd,” remarked Renu Mukherjee, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
She even observed, “He looks uncomfortable eating with his hands,” further criticizing his authenticity.
Before venturing into politics, Mamdani had a brief rap career and once went by the name “Mr. Cardamom.” He has even claimed royalties of up to $5,000 from his time in music, including a song that appeared in his mother’s Disney film.
Mamdani’s office has chosen not to comment on these matters.
