Mamdani Campaign Faces Scrutiny Over Possible Foreign Donations

NEW YORK — Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and current front-runner in New York City’s 2025 mayoral race, is under fire after reports surfaced that his campaign may have accepted donations from foreign nationals — a potential violation of federal and state election laws.

According to the New York Post, campaign finance records show Mamdani’s team received close to $13,000 in contributions tied to foreign addresses. That includes 170 donations from overseas sources, with 88 contributions totaling about $7,190 still unreturned:

Mamdani’s campaign has brought in $4 million in private donations, scored another $12.7 million in public matching funds, and with less than a month to go before election day, has nearly $6.1 million in hand.

His campaign issued a statement Saturday saying “we will of course return any donations that are not in compliance with CFB law” after being provided a detailed breakdown of the 88 donations yet to be returned. 

A campaign spokesperson, however, declined to clarify why so many foreign donations are still in Mamdani’s war chest.

The foreign donations have sparked criticism.

Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa didn’t hesitate when told about the flow of money into Mamdani’s campaign. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, so I would be very concerned,” he said. “There is probably a lot more in terms of foreign money.”

Election laws at the federal, state, and city levels prohibit contributions from foreign nationals and non-permanent residents to political campaigns.

One donor flagged in the reports was Mamdani’s mother-in-law, who resides in Dubai. The campaign reportedly refunded her donation, though the timing and circumstances of that refund remain unclear.

Critics such as Sliwa argue that even temporary acceptance of foreign funds could represent a serious compliance lapse, and some are now urging the Department of Justice to investigate.

It remains unclear whether the individuals who donated from foreign addresses are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, which would be legal, or foreign nationals, which would not.

The campaign has not publicly clarified the legal status of those donors.

Mamdani’s high profile in the mayoral race has magnified the controversy. The latest RealClearPolitics average shows him leading the field by 17 points, with 44.8% of likely voters backing him. His closest rival, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, trails with 27.8% support.

While Mamdani currently leads the race, questions swirling around his campaign cash could turn into a major problem as the race barrels toward Election Day.

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