Mayor Eric Adams’ former adviser Winnie Greco claims cash-stuffed chip bag she gave to NYC reporter was ‘birthday gift’

Winnie Greco, the ex-adviser to Eric Adams who handed a reporter a cash-stuffed potato chip bag, bizarrely claimed Friday that the controversial packet was her “birthday gift” and implied that the reporter she slipped the money to wanted to “hurt her.”

Greco, when reached by The Post heading to her car in the Bronx, launched into a baffling explanation for giving cash to giving the bag to The City reporter Katie Honan.

“I don’t have purpose, and I treat people everyone is the same,” Greco said. “It’s angel, OK, but if somebody want to hurt me because I have love to my community, and I have love to the world, to my family, my people, and somebody try to hurt me, I cannot say nothing.”

“Before I didn’t know how much in my envelope because it’s my birthday gift that’s Chinese culture. Somebody give me my birthday gift, I made big mistake I’m so sorry. Talk to my lawyer.”

She also double-downed when The Post asked her to clarify if she really meant to say Honan wanted to “hurt” her.

“Yes. Talk to my lawyer,” she said.

The money-filled Sour Cream & Onion ripple potato chip bag was widely seen as a failed bribe or payoff.

Greco and her attorney had previously defended the gift by contending it was part of Chinese culture to present cash to friends.

But Greco, who resigned from her City Hall position under a cloud of scrutiny, has apparently changed her tune to sound more like “Happy Birthday.”

“I can’t comment on the source of the money,” said Greco’s attorney Steven Brill, adding it was meant as a kind gesture, not as anything nefarious.

Honan told The Post she wasn’t working on a story related to Greco before the bizarre “gift.”
Her birthday is in November. The Post could not immediately confirm Greco’s birthday, as Adams’ campaign and her attorney wouldn’t say.