FBI busts NYPD officials for rampant corruption surrounding Mayor de Blasio
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Three high-ranking officers in the NYPD acted as “cops on call” for two deep-pocketed de Blasio donors — as long as their “elves” plied them with gifts and bankrolled a highflying lifestyle that included hookers, free hotels and expensive meals.
Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, Deputy Inspector James Grant and Sgt. David Villanueva were arrested Monday, the latest development in a far-reaching bribery scandal that has also snared longtime correction officers union leader Norman Seabrook.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who is coordinating several overlapping city, state and federal probes into NYPD top brass and several well-heeled businessmen, said the cops acted as a “private police force” in exchange for gifts, bribes and perks worth more than $100,000.
“They [Reichberg and friends] got, in effect ... cops on call,” said Bharara.
The four arrests were another black eye for the NYPD, which has suffered months of embarrassing revelations while also putting Mayor de Blasio on the spot for his campaign financing.
Both Reichberg and another businessman who has already pleaded guilty in the case and is cooperating with authorities — identified by sources as financier Jona Rechnitz — contributed heavily to de Blasio’s campaign.
Reichberg and Rechnitz even dressed up as elves on Christmas Day 2013 and drove to Grant’s home, where they gave a video game system to his kids, and a $1,000 piece of jewelry to his wife, filings said.
Then they drove to Harrington’s house and gave his kids a video game system. Reichberg also used his influence to get Grant promoted, the complaint says.
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