New York — What started as a grassroots movement has turned into a financial earthquake.
Records obtained from multiple watchdog groups reveal that Zohran Mamdani, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist and firebrand of New York’s far-left, has indirectly benefited from more than $37 million funneled through George Soros–backed organizations.

The man who built his brand on railing against billionaires now stands on the shoulders of one.

The $37 Million Question

Financial disclosures reviewed by independent analysts trace $23.7 million in Soros-linked contributions to the Working Families Party (WFP) — a political powerhouse that endorsed and mobilized for Mamdani during his mayoral campaign. Another $13.9 million was reportedly distributed to a web of progressive advocacy groups tied to his campaign infrastructure.

While none of the money came directly to Mamdani’s campaign coffers, the network effect is undeniable: field operations, voter registration drives, and digital ad networks supported by Soros-funded arms all converged to lift the 33-year-old Assemblyman into national prominence.

Critics argue that this is the perfect picture of political hypocrisy — a socialist hero funded by one of capitalism’s most influential billionaires.

The Paradox of the Populist

Zohran Mamdani has made his reputation by declaring war on wealth. “We shouldn’t have billionaires,” he told supporters last spring. He has called for steep property tax hikes on “richer, whiter neighborhoods,” advocated for city-run grocery stores, and pledged to “reimagine” the role of private capital in public life.

Yet as campaign finance data mounts, Mamdani’s populist purity appears less clear-cut. The socialist crusader’s movement now faces a simple but damning question:
How do you dismantle the billionaire class when one of its kings is paying your bills?

Mayor Eric Adams, facing off with Mamdani in a heated primary, didn’t mince words:

“He attacks wealth in public, then takes its money in private. That’s not socialism. That’s showmanship.”

The Soros Network

For decades, George Soros has been one of the world’s most polarizing figures — hailed by liberals as a defender of democracy and demonized by conservatives as a financier of chaos. His Open Society Foundations (OSF) spend billions globally promoting “open governance,” but their American political arms often align with ultra-progressive candidates.

Documents reviewed by the New York Post show Soros’s entities have poured tens of millions into U.S. political infrastructure — from district attorney races to immigration advocacy — with Mamdani’s circle the latest beneficiary.

Conservative strategist Douglas Kellogg calls it “the billionaire paradox”:

“George Soros funds movements that would eliminate people like him — or so they claim. In truth, he’s building an empire of ideological dependents who can’t win without his money.”

Soros’s defenders argue the funding empowers grassroots movements that otherwise couldn’t compete with corporate PACs. But even they admit the optics are difficult when a “power-to-the-people” candidate is buoyed by elite capital.

From Queens to the Big Stage

Born to Ugandan-Indian immigrants, Mamdani first made headlines as one of the youngest Assembly members in New York. His charisma and activist energy made him a darling of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who saw him as the next generation of progressive leadership.

But national exposure has brought national scrutiny.
His critics accuse him of pushing dangerous ideological experiments — defunding police budgets, taxing property owners into flight, and demonizing private enterprise.

Mamdani’s supporters, meanwhile, frame him as a visionary reformer willing to take on entrenched systems. Yet even among allies, whispers have begun: Can a movement stay pure when its pipeline runs through a billionaire’s bank?

The Stakes for New York — and America

The Mamdani-Soros nexus is more than a political scandal; it’s a microcosm of the American left’s identity crisis.

Progressives have long relied on the rhetoric of “people over profit.” But in a system where campaign finance is oxygen, purity often dies in the pursuit of power.

Analyst Jordan Kline of the Civic Integrity Project summarizes it bluntly:

“You can’t run for mayor of New York without big money. The question is whether the people funding you share your principles — or own them.”

If Mamdani wins, the implications stretch far beyond City Hall. His victory would cement the Soros network as the kingmaker of the modern progressive era, proving that ideological revolutions, like capitalist ventures, still require capital.

A Dangerous Vision?

Conservatives warn that Soros’s influence has become a shadow government — shaping cities, laws, and leaders through philanthropy disguised as progressivism.

“Soros is a danger to America,” one former Justice Department official told The Federalist. “He doesn’t just want to influence elections — he wants to engineer society itself. He’s always seen himself as the man America should rely on.”

To them, the Mamdani case isn’t just hypocrisy — it’s proof that power can be purchased even in movements built to destroy it.

Conclusion

Zohran Mamdani entered politics promising to take money out of power. Instead, he’s become the latest reminder that money is power — even for those who swear to dismantle it.

Whether he is a revolutionary reformer or a puppet of billionaire influence, one truth remains: $37 million can buy more than campaign ads. It can buy credibility, structure, and silence.

And as the race for New York’s future heats up, Americans are left asking:
Is this the dawn of a new people’s movement — or just the richest revolution money can buy?