A legal expert provided insight Monday into Mayor Eric Adams' strategy to seek support from houses of worship and rejecting calls to resign following federal bribery and fraud charges filed late last week.

Adams received a warm welcome at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church in the Bronx, where he defended his record and expressed determination to move forward.

"During the darkest moments, that is not a burial. It’s a planting. And let God do his work. I’m going to do my work. I’m going to lead this city in a direction that this city is supposed to going to,” Adams said.

Manhattan-based criminal defense attorney Adam Kaufmann discussed the legal battle, highlighting the difficulties of fighting charges in the modern age.

“It's a heck of a lot harder today to be a criminal and get away with things,” he said. “Cameras everywhere, text messages, emails, your phone tracks where you are all the time, social media  — you don't know. There's so much out there that prosecutors can use and gather.”

Kaufmann said scrutiny also extends to Adams' cabinet, which will make it difficult for the mayor to continue with business as usual.

“Many of his top officials are now being sort of brought into the scope of the investigation. We don't know if the focus is on them or on their relationships and communications with the mayor, but it is a tremendous distraction, not just for the mayor, but for City Hall as a whole,” Kaufmann said.

Kaufmann also addressed the recent marriage of outgoing school Chancellor David Banks and First Deputy Sheena Wright, which occurred over the weekend, shortly after the two had personal belongings searched and seized by the FBI.

“They didn't have spousal privilege before,” he said. "Is it a shrewd strategy, or is it just love?”

“In federal court, neither can be compelled to testify against the other,” he added. “There's a bunch of hoops you have to jump through before that even becomes an issue, starting with someone has to be charged with a crime. So I don't know how much of a big deal it is, but the timing is worthy of comment.”