The trove of court records, which had been sealed, opens a window into the criminal case and shows that even as Washington officials were backing away from the prosecution, investigators in Manhattan were moving forward.

The documents also confirm something prosecutors revealed previously: That a federal investigation into whether Adams took improper campaign contributions began in August of 2021, when the Democrat was still in his old job of Brooklyn borough president but was widely expected to win the mayor’s race that fall.

Adams has repeatedly said he believed he was prosecuted because, much later, as mayor, he criticized former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.