Finance
Rana Abbasova, Adams aide whose home was raided, is cooperating with feds’ campaign finance probe
An aide to Mayor Adams whose home was raided amid an FBI probe into his 2021 campaign is cooperating with federal authorities, a source with knowledge of the matter said Monday.
The aide, Rana Abbasova, is one of several people whose residence was raided as the feds probe allegations that the Turkish government funneled illegal cash into Adams’ campaign through straw donors.
The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and strongly denies any suggestion of impropriety in connection with the investigation.
It’s unclear what Abbasova may have discussed with the feds, though her cooperation pertains to the general allegation of illegal Turkish government-financed contributions to the mayor’s campaign, according to The New York Times, which first reported her cooperation. Her lawyer Rachel Maimin declined to comment.
Brendan McGuire, the mayor’s former chief counsel at City Hall who now represents him and his 2021 campaign in the FBI investigation, confirmed Abbasova’s cooperation, but said it’s “not a new or meaningful development.”
Abbasova, the director of protocol in Adams’ International Affairs Office and the mayor’s unofficial liaison to the local Turkish community, was put on unpaid leave days after her home was raided in November, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. She remains on unpaid leave, and her position at City Hall has not been filled, they added.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the Adams campaign probe, which burst into the headlines when the home of the mayor’s chief campaign fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, was raided in November. Days later, Adams had his own electronic devices seized by the feds.
Abbasova received three tickets in New Jersey in January for offenses linked to driving a for-hire vehicle, the Daily News previously reported.
While she’s been on unpaid leave, another Adams aide targeted by the feds in a separate matter went on paid sick leave after her Bronx homes were raided in February. That aide, Winnie Greco, has since returned to work at City Hall, receiving a raise earlier this month.
McGuire noted the mayor’s administration reported to investigators late last year that Abbasova had engaged in “improper conduct.” Sources confirmed at the time that the conduct in question was Abbasova instructing other Adams staffers to delete text messages they’d exchanged with her.
“It is our understanding that Ms. Abbasova has been talking to investigators since her improper conduct was reported by the administration in November,” McGuire said in a Monday night statement.
Retirement is often associated with greater freedom and the opportunity to enjoy the rewards of decades of work. But for many people, the transition from earning a regular pay cheque to relying on pensions and savings can feel less like a gentle glide and more like standing at the edge of a financial cliff-edge.
A YouGov survey of 6,224 UK adults found that 55% reported that they were concerned about running out of money in retirement and, among these worried respondents, 63% were under 50 years old.
However, the good news is that avoiding a financial retirement cliff-edge isn’t about having extraordinary wealth – it’s about making informed decisions before and throughout retirement.
We spoke to Susan Hope, retirement expert and business development director at Scottish Widows, who shared the following nine practical steps to help you build a retirement plan that can weather life’s uncertainties and give you greater confidence that your retirement years will be defined by peace of mind rather than financial stress.
1. Understand what state pension and credits you are entitled to
“Make sure the cornerstone of your financial retirement income is covered by the state and you’ve got everything you’re entitled to,” advises Hope. “If you go onto the HMRC app you can find out really quickly when your state pension age is and what you are due to get.
“Another important thing to look at on the app is a year-by-year breakdown of your national insurance contributions.”
Hope recommends going back through your working years to make sure that you’ve got credits for every period because if you weren’t working due to unemployment, illness, or were caring for someone, you may be entitled to national insurance credits.
They help ensure you qualify for certain benefits, most notably the state pension, during periods when you weren’t working, were earning too little to pay National Insurance, or were claiming specific benefits.
2. Locate any lost or missing pension pots
“I have a huge bee in my bonnet about the £31 billion of untraced pensions that we have in the UK,” says Hope. “Go back through your LinkedIn or your CV and make sure that none of that £31 billion is languishing somewhere, because that is your money to have.”
Once you know the name of your previous employer or your old pension provider, you can use the government’s free Pension Tracing Service to help find lost pension pots.
3. Look at the UK’s different retirement living standards
“I think it’s really useful to look at the UK’s retirement living standards, because that will give you an idea of how much you’re going to need in retirement, depending on what type of retirement you want to live,” recommends Hope.
Regions Financial Corp. has completed its acquisition of Montgomery-based investment banking firm The Frazer Lanier Company, expanding its municipal finance and corporate investment banking services.
The Birmingham-based financial company announced Thursday that the acquisition has officially closed. Founded in 1976, Frazer Lanier provides investment banking services specializing in municipal and corporate securities and has served corporations, cities, counties and local boards throughout its history.
According to Regions, the acquisition is intended to strengthen the bank’s capital markets capabilities while enhancing services for public sector and institutional clients across its multi-state footprint.
Frazer Lanier has built its business by serving as an underwriter or placement agent for tax-exempt and taxable bonds, helping public entities and organizations access financing.
“Two of our top priorities at Regions Bank are strategically expanding our services and investing in top-tier banking talent,” John Turner, chairman, president and CEO of Regions Financial Corp., said in a news release. “By welcoming experienced bankers from Frazer Lanier to the Regions family, we are connecting Regions’ clients with even greater capabilities while advancing our long-term strategy for growth.”
As part of the acquisition, Frazer Lanier will be integrated into Regions Bank’s Capital Markets division within the company’s Corporate Banking group.
Brian Willman, head of Corporate Banking for Regions, said the two organizations share a similar approach to serving clients.
“Frazer Lanier has built trust by staying close to clients and helping them navigate important decisions,” Willman said. “Together, we can expand that model by bringing more ideas, more capabilities and more connectivity to clients across our markets.”
Regions said the acquisition will expand its municipal finance and investment banking capabilities, strengthen its services for cities, counties and other public entities, and provide clients with broader access to financing and capital markets solutions.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
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