New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been accused of sexually assaulting a female co-worker 30 years ago, US media reported, as the state sees a flurry of such actions filed ahead of a statute of limitations deadline.
The Democratic politician "vigorously" denies the claim, his office said, arguing he does not know the plaintiff and would never cause anyone physical harm.
The civil case, first reported by The Messenger news site, alleges the accused "was sexually assaulted by Defendant Eric Adams in New York, New York in 1993 while they both worked for the City of New York".
In the filing, the woman whose name has not been revealed, is seeking a trial and at least $5 million (€4.6m) in relief, according to The Messenger.
"The mayor does not know who this person is. If they ever met, he doesn't recall it," a spokesperson for his office said in a statement.
"But he would never do anything to physically harm another person and vigorously denies any such claim."
The action was submitted under the New York Adult Survivors Act, a law passed last year that opened a one-year window for sexual assault claims to be filed that otherwise happened too far in the past to litigate.
That window expires tomorrow.
Sexual assault actions were filed yesterday against actor Jamie Foxx and Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose.
These follow a rape complaint against rapper Sean Combs, filed last week by R&B singer Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura.
A day after that filing, the parties said they had agreed to resolve the case, but did not disclose the settlement terms.
Former US president Donald Trump was also sued under the law by former magazine columnist E Jean Carroll, whom a jury awarded $2 million (€1.9m) in May.
Mr Adams, a former police officer who took office in January 2022 as New York's second black mayor in history, also faces a corruption investigation into campaign financing.
Federal investigators are probing whether his 2021 campaign conspired with Turkey's government and other actors.
