Eric Ulrich's bribery trial starts today, the first Adams-era corruption trial, with a judge instead of a jury

Eric Ulrich, who served as Mayor Eric Adams' buildings commissioner, is set to go on trial Monday on bribery charges, the first of several former Adams administration officials charged with corruption to actually face trial, THE CITY reported.

There will be no jury. Ulrich and co-defendant Michael Mazzio, owner of Mike's Heavy Duty Towing, asked for a non-jury trial, and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Daniel Conviser agreed, so the judge alone will decide whether they are guilty, according to THE CITY and the New York Post. The trial is expected to last several weeks, the Post said.

What prosecutors allege

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office charged Ulrich in September 2023 in five separate indictments, alleging he accepted or solicited more than $150,000 in bribes while holding government posts, City & State reported. The alleged perks included Mets season tickets, several thousand dollars to cover gambling debts, a discounted rental apartment in the Rockaways, artwork and a "bespoke suit," THE CITY said. The Post reported prosecutors say the art included a painting by an apprentice of Salvador Dalí.

This trial covers two of the indictments, the Post reported. Prosecutors say that while Ulrich was buildings commissioner he took $4,000 in an envelope from brothers Anthony and Joseph Livreri in exchange for help with problems their Ozone Park pizzeria was having with the buildings and health departments, and that Mazzio funded Mets season tickets for Ulrich worth "nearly $10,000" while seeking help with his tow company's license, according to THE CITY.

Guilty pleas before trial

The Livreri brothers pleaded guilty in September to felony conspiracy charges, admitting they handed Ulrich the $4,000 to get rid of a Buildings Department vacate order. Their lawyer said they are not cooperating with prosecutors, THE CITY reported. One indictment against developer and Adams donor Mark Caller was dismissed in January, and cases against two other defendants remain active, the Post said.

The defense

Ulrich, a former Republican City Council member from Queens, resigned as buildings commissioner in November 2022 amid reports of the investigation and has pleaded not guilty, City & State reported. His lawyer, David Cohen, has said Ulrich "routinely borrowed money from family and friends related to his gambling and paying bills" and that there was "never any understanding or expectation" that he would perform any official act in exchange, according to THE CITY.

Why it matters

The Ulrich case was the first in a string of state and federal corruption cases against Adams aides, THE CITY noted. Former chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin and former chief of staff Frank Carone have pleaded not guilty in their separate cases. The federal case against Adams himself was dismissed in 2025.

Ulrich faces multiple counts of bribery and offering a false instrument for filing, the Post reported.