Former Mayoral Aide Expands Legal Defense Team Ahead of Bribery Trial

Frank Carone, the former chief-of-staff to Mayor Eric Adams, has significantly bolstered his legal defense team as he prepares to contest federal corruption charges. Court filings indicate that Carone has retained Marc Agnifilo, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Jacob Kaplan, and Zach Intrater—a group of attorneys currently representing Luigi Mangione in a separate high-profile murder case.

These additions join a broader legal team already tasked with defending Carone and his co-defendants against allegations of bribery, money laundering, and other federal offenses. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York allege that Carone facilitated a multimillion-dollar emergency contract for a migrant shelter in Long Island City for a hotel owner in exchange for approximately $120,000 in bribes. The government claims these funds were routed through the defendant’s brother, Anthony Carone. All parties involved have entered pleas of not guilty and maintain their innocence.

During a scheduling conference held Monday at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto determined that the original August trial date was no longer feasible, citing the substantial volume of discovery materials that remain to be processed. Prosecutors noted that they are still in the process of turning over data recovered from electronic devices seized during the investigation.

Following discussions between the court and counsel, Judge Matsumoto set a new trial date for May 3, 2027. The proceedings are anticipated to span approximately one month.

Defense attorney Andrew Goldstein, speaking on behalf of the team, stated that the expansion of the legal roster reflects their collective belief in Carone’s innocence. Goldstein asserted that his client acted with integrity during his tenure in city government and indicated that the defense intends to file motions challenging the strength of the prosecution’s evidence. The defense team also includes Arthur Aidala, who is concurrently representing former mayoral aide Ingrid Lewis-Martin in a separate state-level corruption case.