Eric Adams gave Diddy a key to NYC a year ago. They were both charged with crimes this month.

Maria Noyen,Alcynna Lloyd,Jacob Shamsian
Updated
NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Sean "Diddy" Combs in NYC in September 2023.
Eric Adams handed Diddy the keys to New York City in September 2023, a year before both were charged with crimes.Caroline Rubinstein-Willis/Associated Press

  • In September 2023, NYC Mayor Eric Adams gave hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs a key to the city.

  • Both Adams and Combs were charged with crimes in September 2024.

  • While both are known for their party-loving lifestyles, it's unclear if they're actually friends.

About a year ago, New York Mayor Eric Adams gave Sean Combs, the music mogul known as Diddy, a key to the city.

Now both are facing criminal charges in a stunning fall from grace.

During a ceremony in Times Square, Adams handed Diddy the key, a symbol of recognition for New Yorkers who have achieved remarkable success. Diddy was born in Harlem in 1969 and later attended Catholic school in the Bronx.

Adams, now 64, also proclaimed the day "Diddy Day."

"I want to thank you all for this honor and for recognizing me as a proud New Yorker by presenting me with the key to the city," Diddy, now 54, said during the ceremony.

Earlier this year, Adams requested that Diddy return the key in light of the growing controversy surrounding the rapper, which crested last week when Diddy was arrested and indicted on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Diddy has said he is innocent.

Adams is now also in a legal hot seat.

In an indictment unsealed Thursday morning, federal prosecutors accuse the mayor of yearslong public corruption.

Prosecutors say Adams solicited bribes from foreign nationals to support his political campaigns and his personal travel.

The indictment states that, over roughly 10 years, he accepted various gifts, such as complimentary or discounted Turkish Airlines flights, vacations at luxury hotels, and yacht trips.

Adams has said he is not guilty. If convicted, he faces a prison sentence of up to 45 years. Adams is up for reelection in 2025.

Diddy wears a red jacket, white shirt, and dark pants, clasping NYC Mayor Eric Adams hand. Both are smiling.
Diddy and Adams at the key ceremony in September 2023.Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Social media users on X, formerly Twitter, are speculating whether Combs and Adams knew each other socially or partied together.

Combs was known for throwing annual glitzy white parties in the Hamptons. Adams, who nicknamed himself the "nightlife mayor," is often seen frequenting late-night hot spots and flashy members-only clubs, including Zero Bond.

Representatives for Adams did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

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