City Corruption Watchdog Jocelyn Strauber Resigns After Historic Tenure
New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber has submitted her resignation, closing out a dramatic tenure that included the unprecedented indictment of the mayor who appointed her, Eric Adams.
Strauber’s resignation letter was delivered to City Hall on Wednesday, and her decision was publicly acknowledged Thursday by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who accepted her departure. “We thank Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber for her unwavering fight against corruption. We look forward to continuing that work with our Department of Investigation,” Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said in response to an inquiry from THE CITY. Pekec confirmed that the search for a replacement commissioner is currently underway.
In an email to DOI staff early Wednesday, Strauber explained her reasoning, noting that she had received no definitive response from Mamdani on whether she would remain in the role under the new administration. She made it clear that serving on an interim basis was not an option given the nature of the agency’s work.
“It has become clear to me that there is no prompt path forward to my remaining in this role permanently. In light of the nature of our work, and our critical independence, continuing in an interim role as the new Administration makes its determination is not feasible,” Strauber wrote.
Her resignation was met with disappointment by several City Hall observers, including Councilmember Gale Brewer, D-Manhattan, who chairs the City Council's oversight and investigations committee. “She’s an extraordinary DOI commissioner and I’d love her to stay,” Brewer said.
Strauber was nominated to lead the Department of Investigation by then-Mayor Eric Adams on January 1, 2022, the very first day Adams took office. Her nomination was swiftly confirmed by the City Council. Though DOI commissioners are selected by the sitting mayor, the office has a long-standing tradition of operating independently.
At the time of Strauber’s appointment, DOI and the FBI had already launched investigations into Adams’ campaign fundraising activities and had begun monitoring the communications of Eric Ulrich, a former City Council member who Adams later appointed as Department of Buildings commissioner. Those initial inquiries rapidly expanded into various corners of the Adams administration.
Working closely with Manhattan federal prosecutors, the joint DOI and FBI investigations eventually culminated in the historic indictment of Mayor Adams in September 2024 — marking the first time in New York City history that a mayor was indicted as a result of a DOI investigation.
Simultaneous inquiries conducted in coordination with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg led to further indictments. Those charged included Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Adams’ chief advisor; Eric Ulrich; and Jesse Hamilton, a close Adams ally who had been given oversight of the city’s leasing decisions.
Investigators also seized the phones of several top officials in the Adams administration, including the first deputy mayor, police commissioner, and schools chancellor.
While prior heads of DOI have taken action against the mayors who appointed them, this was the first instance in which a DOI-led investigation actually resulted in criminal charges. Under Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration, for example, DOI Commissioner Mark Peters found the mayor had violated city ethics rules by soliciting donations from developers and lobbyists for a nonprofit he oversaw. Those findings were reviewed by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney, but no charges were filed. De Blasio later dismissed Peters, citing what he characterized as erratic behavior.
In contrast, Strauber's investigations led directly to criminal indictments — a reflection of her tenure's impact and the independence with which she ran the agency.
Strauber’s letter to Mamdani stated that her resignation would become effective January 16. Chris Ryan, DOI’s deputy commissioner for strategic initiatives, will serve as acting commissioner until a permanent successor is nominated and confirmed.
In her email to DOI staff, Strauber praised her team’s accomplishments while acknowledging that the agency faced persistent resource challenges throughout her tenure. “Your accomplishments over the past four years are extraordinary. You have done some of the most complex and important cases in the agency’s history with very limited resources,” she wrote.
Repeated requests Strauber made for additional investigators were often delayed or left unresolved by the Office of Management and Budget. While DOI’s annual budget increased from $53 million in fiscal year 2024 to $62 million in fiscal year 2026, staffing levels have declined significantly. The department’s headcount dropped from 546 employees in fiscal 2020 to just 394 in fiscal 2025.
DOI’s responsibilities extend beyond investigations. The agency is also tasked with conducting background checks on high-level city hires. Although the department does not judge a candidate’s fitness for office, it submits relevant findings to city officials. In December, DOI successfully eliminated a longstanding backlog of background checks but still had 771 investigations pending as of this week.
With Strauber’s departure finalized, DOI enters a new chapter under interim leadership, with its legacy of independence and recent history of aggressive oversight still fresh in the minds of City Hall.