Ex-Mayor Adams Aide Anthony ‘Tony’ Herbert Indicted for Bribery

Mayor Eric Adams’s former Citywide Public Housing Liaison Anthony “Tony” Hebert Herbert is facing trouble from a trifecta of investigatory agencies: the federal SDNY and Internal Revenue Service and the New York City Department of Department of Investigation (DOI). He was indicted by the federal southern district of New York.

Herbert pleaded not guilty in an appearance at Federal district court in downtown Manhattan, calling the indictment “bogus” as he walked past the gaggle of press gathered outside the federal courthouse on Pearl Street on Jan. 14. “We’re just gonna let the case play out in court,” said Herbert’s attorney. Herbert is due back in court on Jan. 30.

None of the reports on the indictment day commented on the Masonic symbols on Herbert’s dark blue hoodie, which included a square, a compass, the letter G, a five-sided crown, and the numbers 123.

Herbert belongs to Freemason Lodge 123, the same one that Adams and many prominent Black politicians belong to.

United States of America v. Anthony Herbert

According the SDNY indictment, which includes evidence gathered by the IRS and DOI, Herbert was allegedly involved in multiple illegal schemes during his time working for the Office of the New York City Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, which ran from February 2022 through mid-September 2025.

Herbert’s first job, from around February 2022 through February 2023, was as the Brooklyn Borough Director for Community Affairs, paid about $84,000 annually. Afterward, as the Citywide Public Housing Liaison, Herbert earned around $105,000 annually.

It’s believed that Herbert was on leave from this position and working for Mayor Adams’s re-election campaign when, on Sept. 11, 2025, he reposted an all-caps meme on Facebook:

“CHARLIE KIRK SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE DISPARAGING IMMIGRANTS, DISRESPECTING WOMEN, AND BLAMING BLACK FOLKS, ONLY TO GET SHOT IN ONE OF THE WHITEST PLACES ON EARTH.”

To which Herbert, who is Black, commented: “You hit the nail right on the head or should i say racist!!”

Though Herbert added that Kirk’s shooting was “unfortunate,” he also called it “karma,” and Mayor Adams gave Herbert the heave-ho before quitting the race himself on Sept. 28.

Herbert was no stranger to electoral politics. In 2017 and 2021, he ran public-safety-oriented campaigns for Public Advocate, losing to Letitia James and then to Jumaane Williams.

In September 2020, Herbert self-published a book, still available on Amazon, titled, “From Bullets to the Ballot: Uncovering the Political Truth About the African American Vote.”

Herbert was raised by a single mom who was a longtime school aide. He experienced homelessness in gentrifying early-1980s Brooklyn and later held numerous jobs with Black Brooklyn politicians and community groups. At the time, Herbert was newly married, and the father of four children.

A Wonderful Place to Live

In his most recent alleged scheme, which occurred from at least March 2024 through September 2024, Herbert is charged with soliciting and receiving thousands of dollars in cash payments from an unnamed Security Company Executive (“SCE”) in exchange for Herbert’s “advising” other city officials to award the SCE with city contracts.

To make this arrangement appear less bribe-like, Herbert asked the SCE for a $15,000 “loan.” Herbert received at least $11,000, and though no repayment was forthcoming, he did advocate on SCE’s behalf.

Meeting Herbert outside his Brooklyn home on May 29, 2024, SCE secretly recorded Herbert’s account of this advocacy:

“This is the kind of guy that’s gonna be helpful with election time. That’s just the bottom line. You know, he’s gonna be very helpful in the projects. I can say some shit like that. And whatnot. They were like, aright, this is hot.”

Regarding recent NYCHA budget cuts that affected private security contracts, Herbert said, “I’m saying, yo, we gotta get that money back. The seniors are f*cking complaining. We gotta get some security over there. So he’s [Mayor Adams] gonna put it back. He’s gonna make that announcement and he’s gonna win.”

At this meeting, SCE gave Herbert $5,000 in cash, with Herbert depositing $4,500 into his bank account the next day.

On June 10, 2024, SCE called Herbert to complain about the slow pace of his City Hall advocacy. Herbert said he’d “see what’s up.” SCE noted that he had some extra monies available, to which Herbert replied, “Shit dog, that could be helpful. . . . You are on point, kid.”

Two days later, Herbert received a $2,500 electronic transfer from SCE, who said, “As the progress goes, I’m progressing with you, you feel what I’m saying?” Herbert replied, “Got it, got it.”

A few more turns followed, including another $3,500 cash payment before, the indictment ominously states, “On or about September 4, 2024, law enforcement disrupted Herbert’s scheme.”

The Other Ones

Herbert’s alleged other crimes are less dramatic. In one allegation, Herbert helped direct city-financed low-cost burial monies to a particular funeral home, for which he allegedly received a $5,000 kickback in 2022. In another, Herbert helped a bakery file a fraudulent Payroll Protection Claim for $20,000 in 2021.

The Brotherhoods

As noted, Herbert is a proud Freemason and an active member of Sons of Kings Lodge 123, based in East New York, Brooklyn. While it should be emphasized that the Lodge and its brothers are not in any way implicated in Herbert’s alleged crimes, the existence and vitality of a specifically Black Freemason tradition— known as Prince Hall freemasonry after its roots in Revolutionary War-era Boston— is significant.

Indeed, while it was scarcely reported at the time (Gothamist was an exception), in September 2023, Mayor Adams, Police Commissioner Edward Caban, and NYPD Chief of Department Geoffrey Maddrey were made Sons of Kings Master Masons of the 32nd degree at a Gracie Mansion ceremony presided over by the lodge’s Worshipful Master, Brooklyn State Senator Kevin Parker.

For those looking to understand how scandal-scarred Eric Adams thought he had a path to re-election, however, look here—and to the eye atop the pyramid on the back of a US dollar bill. That’s a white Freemason symbol too.

According the Sons of Kings lodge, the symbology of their name and logo are “The three points of the crown are to be a reminder that we have duties to God, our neighbors and ourselves. We are organized and set priorities. We do what is first, first; what is second, second; and what is third, third. That is the ‘123.’ ”