A crumpled potato chip bag handed to a reporter in Harlem has sparked a scandal for New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ re-election campaign. On August 20, 2025, Winnie Greco, a volunteer adviser, passed what she claimed was a snack to The City’s Katie Honan, only for it to contain cash. This bizarre incident reeks of desperation to dodge scrutiny, though Greco insists it’s just a cultural mix-up.
Greco, 62, met Honan outside Adams’ new Harlem campaign office, then texted her to rendezvous across the street at a TD Bank. From there, she led the reporter to a Whole Foods, where she handed over a Herr’s sour cream and onion chip bag. The bag, it turned out, concealed a red envelope stuffed with at least one $100 bill and several $20s.
Honan, thinking it was just a snack, repeatedly declined before Greco insisted she take it. After they parted, Honan discovered the cash and reported it to the city’s Department of Investigation. The City called it a “failed payoff,” while Greco’s camp spun it as an innocent mistake.
Greco’s attorney, Steven Brill, claimed it was a “gesture of friendship” rooted in Chinese culture. Cultural nuance or not, handing cash in a chip bag to a reporter smells like a clumsy attempt to buy silence. The progressive obsession with excusing bad behavior as “cultural” only fuels skepticism here.
“I made a mistake,” Greco told The City, pleading, “Can we forget about this?” Her apologies sound less like remorse and more like damage control. If it’s just friendship, why the secrecy of a potato chip bag?
“I just wanted to be her friend,” Greco added, claiming the cash was “nothing.” Friendship doesn’t usually involve slipping hundreds in a crumpled snack bag. This excuse stretches credulity thinner than a dollar bill.
The Adams campaign wasted no time suspending Greco from her volunteer role. “We are shocked by these reports,” said spokesperson Todd Shapiro, emphasizing that Adams did not know about the incident. The swift suspension suggests the campaign knows how toxic this looks.
Shapiro stressed Adams’ commitment to “the highest ethical and legal standards.” Yet, Greco’s involvement in the campaign, despite her checkered past, raises questions about vetting. How does someone with her history get so close to the mayor?
Greco resigned as Adams’s Asian affairs adviser in October 2024, months before this incident. Federal authorities raided her Bronx home in February 2024 over allegations she misused her position for personal perks. That probe, now paired with this cash fiasco, paints a troubling picture.
Greco had been largely absent from New York City for months but recently resurfaced as a fixture in Adams’ campaign. Her reappearance, only to be caught in this scandal, suggests she’s more liability than asset. The campaign’s decision to let her back in was a gamble that backfired spectacularly.
The incident unfolded hours after a report about another Adams confidant, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, facing potential corruption charges tied to a Brooklyn project. The timing fuels speculation of deeper dysfunction in Adams’ inner circle. One aide’s misstep might be a fluke, but two in one day feels like a pattern.
The City promptly reported the chip bag incident to the Department of Investigation on August 20, 2025. “DOI received allegations from The City and declines further comment,” said spokesperson Diane Struzzi. The agency’s tight-lipped response hints at a serious probe underway.
Meanwhile, Adams was busy cutting ribbons at his Harlem campaign headquarters that same day, joined by former Governor David Paterson and community leaders. The festive event was overshadowed by Greco’s blunder across the street. It’s a stark reminder that no amount of photo ops can mask ethical lapses.
Greco’s attorney, Steven Brill, doubled down, saying, “Winnie is apologetic and embarrassed by any negative impression.” Embarrassment is understandable, but the public deserves more than apologies—they need transparency. Excuses about cultural gestures don’t erase the optics of cash in a chip bag.
The Adams campaign insists the mayor himself is untainted by Greco’s actions. Still, the stench of scandal clings to those around him, threatening to derail his re-election bid. Voters weary of progressive double standards will be watching closely to see how Adams handles this mess.
