Catsimatidis Blasts Mamdani’s NYC Mayoral Bid, Warns of Castro-esque ‘Con Game’

Photo: Spectrum News

NEW YORK — Billionaire entrepreneur John Catsimatidis, CEO of the Gristedes grocery chain and Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is among the most vocal critics of Zohran Mamdani’s run for mayor of New York City. Writing for FOXBusiness, Preston Mizell reported that Catsimatidis “likens democratic socialist Mamdani’s campaign promises to those of Castro” during Cuba’s 1950s revolution, though he doubts Mamdani can win despite his June primary victory.

“I mean this is silly… the same con game happened in Cuba with Fidel Castro... [You] promise people everything… The people in Cuba are starving. It’s just one big con game,” Catsimatidis said. “I think the American people, I think New Yorkers, especially New Yorkers, they’re smart, they’re going to realize this right away.”

Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman, has proposed free bus service, free childcare, free CUNY tuition, rent freezes, and city-owned, reduced-cost grocery stores — a plan that drew particular ire from Catsimatidis. “I don’t think the polls are really real right now,” he said. “See me in September… He doesn’t like the Jewish people… the Italian people… business people… So I don’t think he’s that far ahead.”

Catsimatidis, who ran for mayor in 2013, also slammed Mamdani’s tax-the-wealthy funding plan. “Sooner or later, you’re going to run out of money,” he warned, questioning union support for the candidate. “... If the city runs out of money, who’s going to pay the pensions?”

In other political news, UOJ previously reported that President Donald Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Read also