From R. Kelly Prosecutor To DOI Commissioner: Mamdani Nominates Commissioner To Root Out Corruption

NEW YORK, NY— Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a nomination for the commissioner of the Department of Investigations on Tuesday: Nadia Shihata.

Shihata served as the former chief of the Organized Crime and Gangs Section in the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, where she supervised racketeering and violent crime investigations and prosecutions.

During her tenure, Shihata’s office convicted musician Robert Kelly, professionally known as R. Kelly, with federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges in 2022.

Then, the same month R. Kelly was transferred to prison, Shihata ended her almost 12-year career as a federal prosecutor and started a New York-based law firm, Shihata & Geddes LLP, with another member of the prosecutorial team, Liz Geddes.

They specialized in civil rights and sexual misconduct matters, internal investigations, wrongful convictions and criminal defense.

“I’m truly excited at the prospect of returning to public service,” Shihata said. “I will lead DOI with independence, fairness and transparency, alongside the dedicated professionals at DOI to carry out this essential work,”

Mamdani said her role as the deputy chief of the public integrity section, where she oversaw public corruption cases involving bribery, fraud, theft of government funds, money laundering and drug trafficking by correctional officers— much of the work she will do in the DOI office— made her a standout nomination and uniquely prepared to hold the role.

“It will take time, accountability and genuine commitment to these values to win back that trust. We are taking one step in that direction today, just one of many, many more over the years,” Mamdani said.

The DOI is one of the city’s oldest law enforcement agencies. The department is staffed by inspectors general, investigators, attorneys, forensic auditors and computer forensic specialists. Its jurisdiction includes criminal and civil investigatory authority over more than 45 mayoral agencies, as well as numerous other city entities, commissions and authorities.

“I understand why many New Yorkers are slow to place their faith in government,” Mamdani said. “They have been betrayed before. They do not want to allow themselves to hope that things have changed only to be betrayed again.”