Left-leaning socialist and leading candidate for mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign has reportedly accepted almost $13,000 in foreign contributions that may be unlawful — including a donation from his mother-in-law based in Dubai, according to The Post.
Records from the NYC Campaign Finance Board reveal that around 170 out of the nearly 54,000 contributions made to Mamdani’s campaign came from individuals residing outside the United States.
Under federal, state, and city regulations, only U.S. citizens or permanent residents are permitted to donate to political campaigns and associated committees. Candidates are required to return any illegal contributions, and accepting foreign donations knowingly could lead to severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
However, records indicate that Mamdani’s campaign has yet to return 88 foreign donations totaling $7,190.
The campaign has raised $4 million from private donations and an additional $12.7 million in public matching funds, leaving Mamdani with approximately $6.1 million as election day approaches.
On Saturday, the campaign stated, “we will, of course, return any donations that do not comply with CFB law,” after having been presented with specifics regarding the 88 unreturned contributions.
A spokesperson from the campaign did not elaborate on the ongoing issue of foreign donations still being part of Mamdani’s campaign funds.
The influx of foreign contributions has ignited criticism.
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, so I would have serious concerns,” Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa stated regarding the foreign funds supporting Mamdani. “It’s likely that there is a larger amount of foreign money involved.”
In a Fox Business interview two months ago, Sliwa urged the U.S. Department of Justice to look into his suspicions that Mamdani might be receiving support from elusive “dark money” funneled into super PACs by foreign nationals.
“This is very concerning not just for Zohran Mamdani, but for anyone involved with these types of PACs, as it effectively allows illegal financial contributions,” Sliwa commented to The Post. “Foreign entities are aware that they don’t need to resort to warfare against the U.S.—manipulating elections may be enough.”
So far, Mamdani’s campaign has refunded a modest total of $5,608, which includes the donation from Bariah Dardari, who is Mamdani’s new wife Rama Duwaji‘s mother.
Dardari donated $500 in January, citing her workplace as a pediatrician at a hospital in Dubai, with reports indicating the funds were returned on the same day.
Dardari did not respond to requests for comment.
The bulk of the foreign contributions began surfacing in June leading up to the Democratic primary, where Mamdani achieved a surprising win over New York City Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Many of the foreign contributors are professionals in technology, medicine, academia, and retired teaching roles, with some giving as little as $1 to Mamdani’s campaign while others contributed up to $2,100.
One notable donor is James Furlaud, an environmental scientist from Australia’s University of Tasmania, who donated $2,100. His research focuses on climate change’s impact on forests and its potential to cause fires, though he did not respond to inquiries for comments.
Another significant contributor, Ada Diaz Ahmed, a Dubai-based investor, also donated $2,100 in September, as per the records.
Jun-Dai Bates Kobashigawa, a Montreal-based software developer, contributed $250 to the campaign in July. Previously a San Francisco resident, he graduated from Bard College in Dutchess County but did not reply to requests for comment.
Another contributor was Ugur Macit, a software engineer in Germany, who donated $250 in August. Macit studied at the University of Dusseldorf; he was unavailable for comment.
Also contributing was Ahmed Enbya, a Calgary-based physician, whose donation of $100 was recorded in September, but he also could not be reached for comment.
Nupur Amin Marquardt, an American citizen and consultant in Hamburg, Germany, gave $50 to Mamdani’s campaign in August, complying with the Federal Election Commission regulations.
Even without specific ties to New York City, she felt compelled to support the candidate, explaining, “It’s the only campaign I’ve witnessed that isn’t trying to win by creating hatred among different groups.”
The majority of donations to the socialist candidate’s campaign have originated from beyond New York City, with recent filings indicating Mamdani raised a total of $1.05 million within a few weeks—outpacing Cuomo’s $507,000 significantly.
The Campaign Finance Board of New York City opted not to comment, citing an ongoing audit of all city campaigns this election cycle.
