Mayor Adams’ longtime girlfriend Tracey Collins, a extremely paid “senior advisor” within the metropolis Division of Schooling, joined Hizzoner on $45,000 price of ritzy journeys — and allegedly hasn’t proven up for work in practically a 12 months, in keeping with complaints filed this week.
Collins, 61, a former DOE instructor, principal and administrator who was promoted after Adams took workplace, is known as “Adams’ home associate” within the 57-page federal indictment unsealed in opposition to the mayor this week.
The Fort Lee, NJ, resident went on Adams’ journeys to India, Hungary, Turkey, Jordan, Oman and Ghana beginning in 2016, amongst different luxurious jaunts, in keeping with prosecutors who accuse the mayor of accepting journey perks price as much as $123,000.
A number of months after Adams took workplace and named David Banks colleges chancellor, Banks promoted Collins to senior adviser to the deputy chancellor of college management, then Desmond Blackburn, who later stop. Collins acquired a 23% elevate to $221,597 a 12 months.
On Friday, a former DOE worker filed complaints about Collins and her “no-show job” with DOE ethics officer Samantha Biletsky, the Conflicts of Curiosity Board, the Particular Commissioner of Investigation for metropolis colleges, and town Division of Investigation, all questioning if she reported the posh perks as required.
The worker additionally alleged Collins has not often appeared within the workplace since November 2023, and her work calendar has remained empty.
Co-workers haven’t seen Collins in individual since Thanksgiving, the ex-employee reported.
“It’s my understanding that DOE workers are solely permitted to do business from home two days every week,” the ex-employee, who beforehand labored in the identical constructing as Collins, wrote in an e-mail to Biletsky.
Investigators ought to look into Collins allegedly “accepting items in extra of 100K from a overseas authorities and never declaring mentioned items on her Conflicts of Curiosity disclosure,” the grievance states.
Collins’ time and attendance data additionally have to be examined to “confirm that she put in for trip whereas she took all of these unlawful journeys,” in keeping with the grievance.
In January 2018, Adams and Collins traveled to Budapest by way of Istanbul, in keeping with the federal indictment in opposition to the mayor.
A number of months earlier, Collins purchased two economy-class tickets from Turkish Airways for about $560 every, however acquired a free improve to enterprise class price greater than $14,000 – the best the airline provides – following a request by an Adams’ staffer, the doc states.
The free and cut-rate journey was omitted from Adams’ 2018 Battle of Curiosity Board disclosure kind, the indictment states.
All metropolis officers and high-level workers should disclose any potential conflicts of curiosity to the COIB below the NYC Constitution.
In January 2019, Collins purchased an financial system ticket for herself for a visit with Adams to Turkey, Jordan and Oman.
Her ticket was upgraded to a seat price not less than $7,000, prosecutors cost, whereas a staffer requested Adams’ improve individually, because it was purchased by way of a Turkish entrepreneur, one who later grew to become a senior staffer in his administration.
An SCI spokesperson advised The Publish, “We’re at present reviewing and evaluating the allegations.”
Town Conflicts of Curiosity Board is “prohibited from commenting on the previous conduct of a public servant till there’s a last discovering of a violation,” mentioned COIB government director Carolyn Lisa Miller.
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