Mayor Eric Adams’ longtime girlfriend has quietly retired from her high-ranking six-figure place within the Massive Apple’s schooling division amid a metropolis probe into the unofficial first woman’s alleged “no-show job.”
Tracey Collins, who had been working as a senior adviser to Colleges Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, served her final day on Nov. 1, along with her retirement efficient as of Monday, metropolis Division of Training spokesperson Nathaniel Styer confirmed.
Styer didn’t specify why Collins left her plum place, for which her wage was lately raised to $225,761, based on metropolis information.
“Ms. Collins served public college college students for over 30 years as a trainer, principal and administrator, and we want her the most effective in her retirement,” he stated.
In September, a former DOE worker filed complaints about Collins and her alleged “no-show job” with DOE ethics officer Samantha Biletsky, the Conflicts of Curiosity Board, the Particular Commissioner of Investigation for metropolis colleges and town Division of Investigation.
The worker additionally alleged Collins had hardly ever appeared within the workplace since November 2023, and her work calendar had remained empty.
Co-workers stated they hadn’t seen Collins in particular person since Thanksgiving, the ex-employee reported on the time.
On Friday, the SCI — a quasi-independent metropolis company tasked with investigating misconduct and DOE staff and typically distributors — confirmed to The Publish it was probing the allegations however didn’t go into extra element.
Biletsky didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Collins, a former DOE trainer, principal and administrator who was promoted after Adams took workplace, can be referenced in a bombshell 57-page federal indictment in opposition to Hizzoner.
Whereas she hasn’t been charged of any wrongdoing, the Fort Lee, NJ, resident was described as taking journeys to India, Hungary, Turkey, Jordan, Oman and Ghana with Adams beginning in 2016, amongst different luxurious jaunts, based on prosecutors who accuse the mayor of accepting journey perks value as much as $123,000.
Collins can be alleged to haven’t disclosed these perks in her annual conflicts of curiosity disclosure, based on the ex-employee’s grievance.
“It’s my understanding that DOE staff are solely permitted to make money working from home two days per week,” the previous staffer who beforehand labored in the identical constructing as Collins wrote in an e mail to Biletsky.
Investigators ought to look into Collins allegedly “accepting items in extra of 100K from a international authorities and never declaring stated items on her Conflicts of Curiosity disclosure,” the grievance states.
Collins’ time and attendance information additionally should be examined to “confirm that she put in for trip whereas she took all of these unlawful journeys,” based on the grievance.
A number of months after Adams took workplace and named David Banks colleges chancellor, Banks promoted Collins to senior adviser to the deputy chancellor of college management, then Desmond Blackburn, who later give up.
Collins on the time acquired a 23% increase to $221,597 a 12 months.
Aviles-Ramos took over as chancellor after Banks stepped down amid the federal probe that has encircled a number of high Metropolis Corridor officers and Adams allies.
Adams has pleaded not responsible.
