Schools Chancellor David Banks acknowledged that the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized his cell phones last week — one of several raids conducted by the FBI at the homes of officials in the Adams administration.

“The FBI did, in fact, come to my home, and they took my phones. I can't speak about what anybody else has done or any other aspects of the investigation,” Banks said on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show Thursday morning.

What You Need To Know

  • Schools Chancellor David Banks was one of several administration officials whose phones were seized last week
  • In his first interview since then, Banks acknowledged the FBI took his phones

  • He says his lawyers have told him he is not the target of the investigation

They were Banks’ first comments, beyond a statement, since his phones were seized last week. The interview with Lehrer came just hours before former Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned from his post as the city’s top cop. Caban, too, had his phone seized last week.

The seizure of the schools chancellor’s phone came Wednesday morning, when the FBI visited the home he shares with First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, his fiancee. Agents also seized electronics from Banks’ two brothers: Deputy Mayor Phil Banks, a former high-ranking member of the NYPD, and Terence Banks, a former MTA worker who started a lobbying firm. 

“I have been told by my lawyers that I’m absolutely not a target in this investigation, and I’m going to do everything I can to cooperate with the investigation. Outside of that, it would be inappropriate for me to speak about any of the additional details beyond that. But they did come to my home. They did take my phones. They did not search my home, and that was about it,” Banks said.

The seizure of his phone came one day before the first day of school. Speaking to reporters before the seizure of his own phone had been made public, NY1 asked Banks about the possibility of banning cell phones from classrooms. He gave an answer that, in retrospect, might have been telling.

“We’re all addicted to these phones, including all of you, and it’s every elected official, senator, right? Like everybody is really. I left mine in my car, and you start saying where’s my, where’s my phone? Because you feel like you’re missing something,” Banks said on the first day of school.

Banks, and the other administration officials who were the subject of search warrants, have not been accused of any wrongdoing.