Attorneys for Frank Carone, former chief of staff for ex-NYC Mayor Eric Adams, denied request for more info to prep corruption defense

A federal judge in Brooklyn expressed skepticism on Friday about a request for additional information about an alleged public corruption scheme made by attorneys for former high-ranking New York City official Frank Carone and other Long Island defendants in the case.

Carone, the former chief of staff for former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, is accused of steering city contracts for migrant shelters worth more than $6.8 million to Yan Po Zhu, of Glen Head, the owner of a Long Island City hotel called Microtel, in exchange for $120,000 in kickbacks.

Zhu; Carone’s brother, Anthony Carone; and hotel employee Crystal Chen, of East Williston, have also been indicted in the alleged public corruption scheme.

The Aug. 25 motion filed by attorneys for the four defendants requesting a bill of particulars — a document that provides detailed information about allegations — claims the indictment does not say when and where the deal for bribes in exchange for city contracts was reached, or what official acts Carone is alleged to have performed as part of the agreement.

Without that information, the defense teams cannot prepare appropriate defense strategies for their clients, Carone’s lawyer, Andrew Goldstein, said during oral arguments on Friday before U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto.

“The information we are asking for is basic information in any public corruption case,” Goldstein told the judge.

Matsumoto seemed unconvinced, telling Goldstein that much of the information the defense attorneys are seeking is in the 29-page, 13-count indictment.

“You have more than abundant information, I believe, to prepare for your clients’ defense,” Matsumoto said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Winik agreed with Matsumoto, saying that Goldstein and other defense lawyers have more than adequate information to mount a defense.

“The indictment clearly alleges that Frank Carone would take bribes from Zhu,” Winik said.

Matsumoto did not immediately rule on the defense motion for a bill of particulars. 

Carone, 57, was arrested on June 24 for allegedly accepting kickbacks to steer a lucrative city contract to Zhu and pleaded not guilty to bribery, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges, among others. Carone is a prominent New York City lawyer and longtime political kingmaker. 

Zhu, Chen and Anthony Carone, of Queens, also an attorney, have also pleaded not guilty to multiple charges alleging they participated in the scheme.

Goldstein and other defense attorneys also told Matsumoto that they would file motions to dismiss the charges against the defendants by Dec. 10.

Also on Friday, attorneys for Zhu filed a motion seeking to suppress comments the hotel owner made to federal law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant at Zhu’s Long Island home in March 2025.

The motion said Zhu was not read his Miranda rights during the search and was manipulated into answering questions from federal officials even though he requested an attorney.