Three NYPD officials and a fundraiser for Mayor Bill de Blasio were arrested as part of an ongoing federal corruption investigation.
Deputy Inspector James Grant, Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, and Sgt. David Villanueva of the gun licensing division were all arrested Monday morning in surprising sunrise raids.
The fourth defendant is a Boro Park man who donated to Mayor de Blasio.
The arrests are linked to the alleged exchange of lavish gifts for favors such as funeral escorts, street closures or expedited gun licenses for membersz of the Orthodox Jewish community.
The four arrests appear to be the culmination of the NYPD portion of the ongoing investigation into corruption stemming from two Orthodox Jewish businessmen.
One of them has been cooperating with federal prosecutors.
The two NYPD officials, Harrington and Grant, are accused of accepting meals, trips and complimentary Super Bowl tickets.
Both live on Staten Island, and both were arrested Monday morning.
Villanueva is being charged with helping applicants obtain expedited firearms licenses.
Charges are expected to include bribery, honest services wire fraud and conspiracy. The defendants will appear in federal court in Lower Manhattan Monday afternoon.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is expected to discuss the case later in the day.
Several other officers retired or were placed on modified duty since the criminal investigation began. Former 66th Precinct community affairs officer Michael Malici was fired after the NYPD said he refused to cooperate in the investigation. Inspector Michael Ameri shot and killed himself on Long Island after being questioned in connection with the investigation.
The charges come as federal investigators continue to look into the fundraising practices of Mayor de Blasio and some of his key staffers. They want to know if favors, contracts or positions were offered in exchange for campaign donations.
Questions have swirled around the mayor’s fundraising, including his efforts to try to help Democrats take over the state senate, his efforts to ban horse carriages and even a contract given to a donor who now sells the city rat-proof a donor who now sells the city’s so-called rat-proof garbage bags.
The mayor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has said all campaign activities followed the law.
(AP)
2 Responses
Nothing against the FBI going after corruption. BUT when you see them going after the “little” corruption while being very lethargic when it comes to big corruption like Hillary, that should give us reason to pause!!!
why did they obtain Hillary’s server much earlier?
why did they not obtain all the PCs laptops from her staff so they can track deleted emails….?
what about the IRS deleted emails? We did not see them confiscating servers, PCs, Laptops, or smart phones.
That is why we raise a RED flag, because it seems these investigations are not motivated to curb corruption, they are only motivated by external reasons which is a very dangerous path!!!!
Why doesn’t YW tell us who the Boro Park man that was arrested is? Everyone knows his identity.
Moderators Note: So if everyone knows his identify, then why are you asking your question?