She was appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the district on Jan. 21 and had not brought the initial charges against Adams. Those charges were brought by former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, a Democrat who resigned after Trump won reelection.

The former acting New York U.S. attorney said Adams' attorneys had offered "what amounted to a quid pro quo" — helping the U.S. with immigration enforcement "in exchange for dismissal of his case."

Sassoon said federal prosecutors planned to charge Adams with destroying evidence and instructing others to do so, which would have added to his case.