Democratic socialist and New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is reportedly facing growing scrutiny after a report revealed his campaign accepted nearly $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign donations — including $500 from his own mother-in-law living in Dubai.
According to the New York Post and a review by the city’s Campaign Finance Board, at least 170 contributions came from individuals listing foreign addresses, a direct violation of laws that bar noncitizens and non-permanent residents from donating to political campaigns.
The donations reportedly came from individuals in countries including Canada, Germany, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
While Mamdani’s campaign has pledged to return any improper contributions, records show that 88 donations — totaling $7,190 — have still not been refunded. The campaign declined to explain the discrepancy.
The Post identified several of the foreign donors, including James Furlaud, an environmental scientist in Australia, who gave $2,100; Ada Diaz Ahmed, an investor in Dubai, who also gave $2,100; Canadian software developer Jun-Dai Bates Kobashigawa, who contributed $250; German software engineer Ugur Macit, who gave $250; and Calgary physician Ahmed Enbya, who donated $100.
Mamdani’s campaign, which has raised roughly $4 million, has also received $12.7 million in public matching funds — taxpayer money intended to level the playing field for local candidates.
The revelation of questionable donations has sparked criticism across the political spectrum, with concerns about foreign influence and campaign transparency.
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa said the donations raise serious questions about the socialist frontrunner’s judgment and compliance with campaign finance law. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Sliwa said. “There is probably a lot more in terms of foreign money.” He also accused Mamdani of benefiting from “dark money and foreign influence quietly flowing into his campaign.”
The controversy adds to a string of ethical questions surrounding Mamdani, who has built his campaign on a platform of economic equality and housing justice.
Former governor and independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo has accused Mamdani of hypocrisy, saying he exploited New York’s housing system by occupying a rent-stabilized apartment intended for low-income residents — despite being a wealthy politician.
“You are a rich person stealing affordable housing from the poor,” Cuomo wrote in a statement earlier this year, proposing what he called “Zohran’s Law” to prevent affluent tenants from taking advantage of rent-controlled units. “Let’s build a new NYC that works for the people who need it,” Cuomo added.
Mamdani, a self-described “Democratic Socialist,” has been a central figure in New York’s resurgent progressive movement. His campaign has drawn support from left-wing organizations aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America and has positioned itself as a rebuke to the city’s traditional political establishment.
But as Election Day nears, the candidate once celebrated by progressives for his activism now faces a widening investigation into campaign finance irregularities and questions about his personal ethics.
The New York City Campaign Finance Board confirmed that it is auditing all active campaigns but declined to comment further on Mamdani’s case.
With less than a month before voters head to the polls, Mamdani’s once-dominant campaign now faces an unwelcome question: can a socialist candidate promising integrity and reform withstand scrutiny over his own adherence to the rules?
[READ MORE: Greene Rebukes Trump Over Tariffs and Donor Favoritism]
