Zohran Mamdani’s campaign isn’t just taking foreign cash—it’s laundering radicalism. $13K from Dubai donors? Including his own mother-in-law? Curtis Sliwa called it: where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Mamdani’s team still hasn’t returned $7K+ in illegal donations—because rules…
— CityDeskNYC (@CityDeskNYC) October 13, 2025
Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has taken almost $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign donations to fund his campaign, according to the New York Post.
The Democrat politician, who is leading the polls to become NYC’s next mayor, has raked in donations from 170 people whose addresses are registered abroad, and so far, 88 have not been returned.
One donation comes from Mamdani’s mother-in-law in Dubai, while $2,100 came from James Furlaud, an environmental scientist at Australia’s University of Tasmania.
Another $2,100 came from Dubai-based investor Ada Diaz Ahmed, and $250 from Jun-Dai Bates Kobashigawa, according to NYC Campaign Finance Board records seen by the Post.
Federal, state and city laws dictate that only US citizens or permanent legal residents are allowed to contribute to political campaigns.
If a candidate receives an illegal foreign donation, they must return it, and anyone who violates this rule can face hefty fines and even prison time.
However, so far, Mamdani’s campaign has not returned 88 of the foreign donations it received, worth a total of $7,190.
The returned donations include $500 from Dubai-based pediatrician Dr Bariah Dardari, who is the mother of Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji.
Candidates who receive donations from foreigners must return the proceeds, and they can face expensive finds and even criminal charges for knowingly accepting foreign donations.
There were 54,000 contributions made to Mamdani’s campaign according to the report.
Meanwhile:
CCP-linked businessman donates $65,000 to Dem Mikie Sherrill’s bid for NJ governor https://t.co/yfNBt5z6qA pic.twitter.com/yw5tlsS2kT
— New York Post (@nypost) October 12, 2025
A Chinese businessman whose company has strong ties to the Chinese Communist Party has poured at least $65,000 into Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s bid for New Jersey governor, records show.
Pin Ni, the founder of Wanxiang America Corporation, cut at least two checks for a combined $60,000 this year for the One Giant Leap super PAC, which is backing Sherrill’s bid against Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
Pin also gave another $5,800 – the maximum allowable limit – directly to Sherrill’s campaign in June, records indicate.
Only American citizens or permanent legal residents are allowed to make donations to political campaigns. Pin’s status is not fully clear, though records indicate he has a Social Security number