Despite Losing Bid, Billionaire with Lucrative NYC Contract Remains Significant Donor to Eric Adams
Jesse Hamilton, a key associate of the mayor responsible for managing the city’s real estate services, is facing examination by Manhattan prosecutors.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — A leading official in New York City has overturned the results of a formal bidding process within his agency earlier this year, directing a lucrative contract to one of Mayor Eric Adams’ donors, as reported by three sources familiar with the situation.
A well-known real estate firm had initially secured the bidding process in the spring, intended to relocate the city's Department for the Aging to a more modern location. However, before the deal could be finalized, Jesse Hamilton stepped in to redirect the lease to 14 Wall St., a neoclassical office building in Manhattan owned by billionaire Alexander Rovt, according to the three sources who spoke to PMG on the condition of anonymity. Hamilton is a personal friend of Mayor Adams.
Hamilton reportedly instructed his team not to engage with the original winning bidder, AmTrust Realty Corp., as evidenced by an email obtained by PMG. In a message sent on May 10, Hamilton wrote to his colleagues at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, where he serves as the deputy commissioner for real estate services with a salary of $213,783. “Please pause negotiations with 250 Broadway,” he stated, referencing a Lower Manhattan property owned by AmTrust. “I have spoken with the DFTA commissioner, and her desire is to relocate to 14 Wall Street.”
He also directed his team to refrain from any further communication with AmTrust, asking them to inform him of any existing promises or agreements related to that property before an upcoming meeting.
PMG reviewed another document confirming that AmTrust had outperformed other bidders, including the property at 14 Wall St., in securing a contract worth tens of millions over its duration.
Hamilton is among several aides of Mayor Adams currently under investigation. Upon his return from a recent trip to Japan, agents from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office met Hamilton and his colleagues at JFK Airport and seized multiple phones, including Hamilton’s. The DA's office is reportedly focusing on the leasing of commercial properties by the city, but there is no indication that the lease for 14 Wall St. is directly linked to this investigation. A representative from the DA’s office declined to comment.
Hamilton has not responded to multiple requests for comment regarding this story.
Mayor Adams, who recently pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges, has endorsed Hamilton’s qualifications.
“I know Jesse as an attorney and as a former state senator, and as a community advocate that helped people with housing issues for years,” Adams said during an unrelated press briefing on October 15, following the phone seizure incident. “Jesse brought a lot to city and state government, and we were proud to have him.”
A spokesperson for DCAS refrained from discussing the details of Hamilton's involvement, citing an inquiry from city lawmakers.
“We are in receipt of a letter from the City Council on this matter, and our agency will respond in the typical manner,” said spokesperson Anessa Hodgson in a statement.
Council Member Lincoln Restler, who chairs the Committee on Governmental Operations, co-signed the letter to DCAS referred to by Hodgson. He has scheduled a hearing on the agency's leasing practices for the following week.
"The allegation that Jesse Hamilton unilaterally and improperly steered a lucrative city lease to a donor of the mayor is extremely disturbing," Restler stated. "New Yorkers deserve an administration free of corruption and I hope there will be a swift investigation by appropriate authorities that leads to real accountability."
A spokesperson for City Hall did not respond to requests for comment.
Typically, city procurement rules prohibit any employee from interfering with or altering the outcomes of a formal RFP process. It remains unclear whether these rules applied in this case, and neither DCAS nor City Hall provided clarification.
Gregory Rose, a spokesperson for the Department for the Aging (DFTA), did not address Hamilton’s claim that the aging commissioner expressed interest in the 14 Wall St. space and directed inquiries regarding the lease to DCAS.
“At 14 Wall St., the agency will occupy fewer floors, with floor plans that are more conducive to collaboration and related work units in nearby spaces,” he explained. “This improves the needs of the agency and the public we serve.”
A spokesperson for AmTrust declined to comment or arrange an interview with any of its executives.
Hamilton has been a central figure in Adams’ political network for years.
After Adams vacated the state Senate to pursue a position as Brooklyn borough president in 2014, he chose Hamilton as his successor for the seat. Hamilton won that election but lost the seat in the following term due to his ties with state Republicans. Adams subsequently hired him as a DCAS attorney and later promoted him to deputy commissioner in 2022.
Hamilton traveled with Ingrid Lewis-Martin, one of Adams’ top advisers in City Hall, on the Japan trip, and her phone was also seized. Other administration members were part of the trip, which Adams described as a self-funded vacation, and included a private broker, Diana Boutross, who works on city lease agreements with Hamilton. Agents seized Boutross's phone as well.
Hamilton's role in the lease deal directly benefited Rovt, a billionaire real estate investor and healthcare entrepreneur who built his wealth in the fertilizer business. Rovt has been a supporter of Adams for over a decade.
Rovt and his wife contributed the maximum donation of $3,850 to Adams’ campaigns in 2013 and 2017. Additionally, he donated between $5,000 and $20,000 to a nonprofit led by Adams while he was Brooklyn borough president, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request.
While Rovt refrained from contributing to the 2021 mayoral race, he and his son Max contributed a combined $3,500 to Adams’ 2025 reelection campaign according to reports.
As Adams has faced mounting legal expenses due to federal investigations concerning his connections to Turkish officials and businesses, Rovt and two family members contributed $15,000 to his legal defense fund in December, as outlined in public records.
When contacted by phone, Rovt declined to discuss the 14 Wall St. lease and did not respond to follow-up inquiries.
Prior to Adams’ tenure, the city had been searching for a new location for the Department for the Aging for many years.
Since the 1980s, the small agency has operated from a century-old building near City Hall, resulting in hundreds of employees being dispersed across seven non-contiguous floors of the 21-story structure.
In a December 2022 “statement of needs,” the department indicated that “the current space does not adequately provide welcoming, accessible design for older adult visitors or [department] staff.”
Instead of pursuing renovation, which was deemed financially unfeasible, officials aimed to relocate, a process requiring collaboration with Hamilton's DCAS division, which oversees 22 million square feet of leases with private landlords.
DCAS typically engages commercial brokers, including Boutross, to negotiate agreements for city agencies. However, in this instance, it chose to solicit bids for the project, as noted by the sources.
Following Hamilton's alteration of the RFP results, the lease with Rovt was submitted for public review last month.
On September 24, a Manhattan community board approved the lease, forwarding it to the City Planning Commission for further deliberation.
However, after THE CITY reported earlier this month on Rovt’s ownership of the building, his financial support for Adams, and Hamilton’s role in overseeing lease agreements, the community board sent a letter to the planning commission expressing concerns.
“Media reports indicate that [Hamilton] is involved in an ongoing law enforcement investigation regarding potential conflicts of interest related to DCAS lease agreements,” community board Chair Tammy Meltzer wrote in the October 15 letter, which was reviewed by PMG. “While CB1 did not oppose the need for [the aging department] to relocate, we are deeply troubled by these reports suggesting that decisions might not have been made in the best interest of the City and instead could have been influenced by individual personal gain.”
Meltzer urged the planning commission to conduct a more thorough review of the lease before granting approval.
A spokesperson for the planning commission stated that the body focuses on a limited set of criteria and does not examine the specifics of city lease agreements. Following a public hearing last month, the commission moved forward and approved the DFTA lease on October 16, just one day after receiving the community board's letter.
“When reviewing proposed acquisitions like this one, the City Planning Commission’s responsibility is to evaluate the appropriateness of the building and neighborhood for a city office,” spokesperson Casey Berkovitz explained. “In this case, the CPC did so, concluded that the space was appropriate, and approved it on that basis.”
The final phase of the approval process could be more challenging.
The City Council can call for a review of the lease, and with a two-thirds majority vote, it has the power to block the agreement.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
A well-known real estate firm had initially secured the bidding process in the spring, intended to relocate the city's Department for the Aging to a more modern location. However, before the deal could be finalized, Jesse Hamilton stepped in to redirect the lease to 14 Wall St., a neoclassical office building in Manhattan owned by billionaire Alexander Rovt, according to the three sources who spoke to PMG on the condition of anonymity. Hamilton is a personal friend of Mayor Adams.
Hamilton reportedly instructed his team not to engage with the original winning bidder, AmTrust Realty Corp., as evidenced by an email obtained by PMG. In a message sent on May 10, Hamilton wrote to his colleagues at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, where he serves as the deputy commissioner for real estate services with a salary of $213,783. “Please pause negotiations with 250 Broadway,” he stated, referencing a Lower Manhattan property owned by AmTrust. “I have spoken with the DFTA commissioner, and her desire is to relocate to 14 Wall Street.”
He also directed his team to refrain from any further communication with AmTrust, asking them to inform him of any existing promises or agreements related to that property before an upcoming meeting.
PMG reviewed another document confirming that AmTrust had outperformed other bidders, including the property at 14 Wall St., in securing a contract worth tens of millions over its duration.
Hamilton is among several aides of Mayor Adams currently under investigation. Upon his return from a recent trip to Japan, agents from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office met Hamilton and his colleagues at JFK Airport and seized multiple phones, including Hamilton’s. The DA's office is reportedly focusing on the leasing of commercial properties by the city, but there is no indication that the lease for 14 Wall St. is directly linked to this investigation. A representative from the DA’s office declined to comment.
Hamilton has not responded to multiple requests for comment regarding this story.
Mayor Adams, who recently pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges, has endorsed Hamilton’s qualifications.
“I know Jesse as an attorney and as a former state senator, and as a community advocate that helped people with housing issues for years,” Adams said during an unrelated press briefing on October 15, following the phone seizure incident. “Jesse brought a lot to city and state government, and we were proud to have him.”
A spokesperson for DCAS refrained from discussing the details of Hamilton's involvement, citing an inquiry from city lawmakers.
“We are in receipt of a letter from the City Council on this matter, and our agency will respond in the typical manner,” said spokesperson Anessa Hodgson in a statement.
Council Member Lincoln Restler, who chairs the Committee on Governmental Operations, co-signed the letter to DCAS referred to by Hodgson. He has scheduled a hearing on the agency's leasing practices for the following week.
"The allegation that Jesse Hamilton unilaterally and improperly steered a lucrative city lease to a donor of the mayor is extremely disturbing," Restler stated. "New Yorkers deserve an administration free of corruption and I hope there will be a swift investigation by appropriate authorities that leads to real accountability."
A spokesperson for City Hall did not respond to requests for comment.
Typically, city procurement rules prohibit any employee from interfering with or altering the outcomes of a formal RFP process. It remains unclear whether these rules applied in this case, and neither DCAS nor City Hall provided clarification.
Gregory Rose, a spokesperson for the Department for the Aging (DFTA), did not address Hamilton’s claim that the aging commissioner expressed interest in the 14 Wall St. space and directed inquiries regarding the lease to DCAS.
“At 14 Wall St., the agency will occupy fewer floors, with floor plans that are more conducive to collaboration and related work units in nearby spaces,” he explained. “This improves the needs of the agency and the public we serve.”
A spokesperson for AmTrust declined to comment or arrange an interview with any of its executives.
Hamilton has been a central figure in Adams’ political network for years.
After Adams vacated the state Senate to pursue a position as Brooklyn borough president in 2014, he chose Hamilton as his successor for the seat. Hamilton won that election but lost the seat in the following term due to his ties with state Republicans. Adams subsequently hired him as a DCAS attorney and later promoted him to deputy commissioner in 2022.
Hamilton traveled with Ingrid Lewis-Martin, one of Adams’ top advisers in City Hall, on the Japan trip, and her phone was also seized. Other administration members were part of the trip, which Adams described as a self-funded vacation, and included a private broker, Diana Boutross, who works on city lease agreements with Hamilton. Agents seized Boutross's phone as well.
Hamilton's role in the lease deal directly benefited Rovt, a billionaire real estate investor and healthcare entrepreneur who built his wealth in the fertilizer business. Rovt has been a supporter of Adams for over a decade.
Rovt and his wife contributed the maximum donation of $3,850 to Adams’ campaigns in 2013 and 2017. Additionally, he donated between $5,000 and $20,000 to a nonprofit led by Adams while he was Brooklyn borough president, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request.
While Rovt refrained from contributing to the 2021 mayoral race, he and his son Max contributed a combined $3,500 to Adams’ 2025 reelection campaign according to reports.
As Adams has faced mounting legal expenses due to federal investigations concerning his connections to Turkish officials and businesses, Rovt and two family members contributed $15,000 to his legal defense fund in December, as outlined in public records.
When contacted by phone, Rovt declined to discuss the 14 Wall St. lease and did not respond to follow-up inquiries.
Prior to Adams’ tenure, the city had been searching for a new location for the Department for the Aging for many years.
Since the 1980s, the small agency has operated from a century-old building near City Hall, resulting in hundreds of employees being dispersed across seven non-contiguous floors of the 21-story structure.
In a December 2022 “statement of needs,” the department indicated that “the current space does not adequately provide welcoming, accessible design for older adult visitors or [department] staff.”
Instead of pursuing renovation, which was deemed financially unfeasible, officials aimed to relocate, a process requiring collaboration with Hamilton's DCAS division, which oversees 22 million square feet of leases with private landlords.
DCAS typically engages commercial brokers, including Boutross, to negotiate agreements for city agencies. However, in this instance, it chose to solicit bids for the project, as noted by the sources.
Following Hamilton's alteration of the RFP results, the lease with Rovt was submitted for public review last month.
On September 24, a Manhattan community board approved the lease, forwarding it to the City Planning Commission for further deliberation.
However, after THE CITY reported earlier this month on Rovt’s ownership of the building, his financial support for Adams, and Hamilton’s role in overseeing lease agreements, the community board sent a letter to the planning commission expressing concerns.
“Media reports indicate that [Hamilton] is involved in an ongoing law enforcement investigation regarding potential conflicts of interest related to DCAS lease agreements,” community board Chair Tammy Meltzer wrote in the October 15 letter, which was reviewed by PMG. “While CB1 did not oppose the need for [the aging department] to relocate, we are deeply troubled by these reports suggesting that decisions might not have been made in the best interest of the City and instead could have been influenced by individual personal gain.”
Meltzer urged the planning commission to conduct a more thorough review of the lease before granting approval.
A spokesperson for the planning commission stated that the body focuses on a limited set of criteria and does not examine the specifics of city lease agreements. Following a public hearing last month, the commission moved forward and approved the DFTA lease on October 16, just one day after receiving the community board's letter.
“When reviewing proposed acquisitions like this one, the City Planning Commission’s responsibility is to evaluate the appropriateness of the building and neighborhood for a city office,” spokesperson Casey Berkovitz explained. “In this case, the CPC did so, concluded that the space was appropriate, and approved it on that basis.”
The final phase of the approval process could be more challenging.
The City Council can call for a review of the lease, and with a two-thirds majority vote, it has the power to block the agreement.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
