In a recent revelation, it has come to light that two former New York City mayoral aides, Commissioner Edward Mermelstein and Rana Abbasova, visited Azerbaijan last year on a trip that was sponsored by the Azerbaijani government. The visit, which was described as an economic development trip, took place just months before federal agents raided Mermelstein's home. This information was disclosed in mandatory financial disclosures and confirmed by City Hall.

According to the financial disclosure released by the city's Conflicts of Interest Board, the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan covered up to $5,000 for Mermelstein's visit to Azerbaijan for "NYC related travel" in 2023. Joining Mermelstein on this trip was Rana Abbasova, who was the director of protocol in the Mayor's Office of International Affairs at the time. The two former aides stayed in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, from April 29 to May 2, 2023.

It is worth noting that Rana Abbasova, who has ties to Turkey, served as a Turkish liaison to Eric Adams when he was the Brooklyn borough president. Last November, FBI agents raided Abbasova's home and started investigating potential Turkish government connections to Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign. Abbasova's family hails from Azerbaijan, which has close ties with Turkey and shares cultural connections.

The cost of the trip was covered by the Azerbaijani government, including $1,650 for airfare for both Mermelstein and Abbasova, $40 per day for ground transportation, and $540 for Mermelstein's hotel stay. Abbasova, on the other hand, stayed with her family during the visit.

Surprisingly, this visit to Azerbaijan was not publicly reported before and only came to light through Mermelstein's 2023 disclosure form, which was obtained through a records request. It is worth mentioning that Eric Adams has had a longstanding relationship with Azerbaijan, having visited the country in 2012 and 2016, and with the Brooklyn Baku Friendship Association hosting a fundraiser for his 2021 campaign.

Shortly after returning from their trip to Azerbaijan, Mermelstein and Abbasova met with an Azerbaijani government official to discuss restoring direct flights between New York and Azerbaijan. Additionally, it was reported that Adams' political adviser, Frank Carone, also met with a top Azerbaijani government official during his visit to the country in September 2022.

In October 2022, Abbasova, Mermelstein, and Carone traveled to Turkey for a conference, which was funded by a Turkish real estate trade group. These trips and interactions with government officials have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest and the nature of these visits.

It is worth noting that Mermelstein's disclosure form for 2023 also mentions other payments for city-related travel, including trips to Dubai and Seoul, funded by the World Government Summit Organization and the World Knowledge Forum, respectively. Additionally, Mermelstein reported receiving portions of a trip to Mexico and Colombia as gifts, where he joined Eric Adams to gain insights into the migrant crisis.

City Hall has not responded to queries about whether Mermelstein took other similar trips that were covered by the city government but not reported.

These recent revelations have prompted further scrutiny into the activities and connections of former mayoral aides and their interactions with foreign governments. As investigations continue, the focus on transparency and potential conflicts of interest remains paramount.