Federal and City Enforcers Execute Search Warrant at Pastor’s Home, Raids Developer’s Hotel
Federal and city law enforcers executed a search warrant earlier this month at the Queens home of a pastor, Rev. Al Cockfield II, who led a political action committee for Mayor Eric Adams. The same day, authorities raided a hotel owned by a developer and Adams fundraiser, Weihong Hu, with whom the pastor had worked.
The probe, out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, is eyeing the pastor and his dealings with the developer. The investigation follows an in-depth reporting project by THE CITY, Guardian US, and Documented, which revealed Hu’s fundraising for Adams and Cockfield’s work on her behalf.
A Helping Hand
Cockfield played a role in attempts to garner two ultimately favorable decisions by the Department of Buildings on Hu’s development projects. One of those decisions lifted a stop work order at a hotel construction site on West 39th Street within hours of it being imposed, despite there being "an immediately hazardous condition" involving an elevator. Cockfield had called two top Department of Buildings officials and urged them to lift the order, according to a source familiar with department practices.
Hu’s Fundraising for Adams
Hu hosted two fundraisers for Adams’ mayoral campaign at her hotel in 2021, and her fundraising for Adams continued into his reelection campaign. Several donors to Adams’ re-election campaign previously said Hu’s family reimbursed them for contributions they made in connection to a fundraiser Hu hosted at her Hudson Yards apartment building in June 2023.
Conclusion
The investigation into the activities of Rev. Al Cockfield II and Weihong Hu is ongoing, with authorities examining the pastor’s dealings with the developer and the political action committee he led. The Department of Buildings has since made an apology to the local community board, acknowledging its agency had been wrong to allow the affordable housing to vanish.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of the investigation?
A: The investigation is examining the activities of Rev. Al Cockfield II and Weihong Hu, including the pastor’s dealings with the developer and the political action committee he led.
Q: What is the focus of the investigation?
A: The investigation is looking at the pastor’s financial transactions and his work with the developer, as well as the developer’s fundraising efforts for Mayor Eric Adams.
Q: What is the significance of the search warrant?
A: The search warrant executed at Rev. Cockfield’s home is a significant step in the investigation, as it suggests that authorities are taking a serious look at the pastor’s activities.
Q: What is the status of the investigation?
A: The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining the activities of Rev. Al Cockfield II and Weihong Hu.
