NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Four NYPD officers, including a commander, have been arrested in connection with an ongoing city corruption investigation, authorities announced Monday.
The officers have been identified in court documents as Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, Deputy Inspector James Grant, Officer Richard Ochetal and Sgt. David Villanueva.
They were all taken into custody Monday morning, 1010 WINS’ Juliet Papa reported. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton are set to release more details at a midday news conference.
The FBI and Bharara have been examining whether officers accepted gifts and trips from businessmen in exchange for police escorts, special parking privileges and other favors.
The charges are based in part from information provided to the feds by a generous donor to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s election campaign, identified in reports as Jona Rechnitz, according toWCBS 880’s Marla Diamond reported.
According to the indictments, he and another businessman, Jeremy Reichberg, had Grant and Harrington at their beck and call in exchange for expensive dinners, hotel rooms and tickets to sporting events, among other items.
The complaint alleges that Grant accepted tickets to the Super Bowl in 2013 during an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas where a prostitute was also arranged to stay in Grant’s hotel room.
In addition to police escorts, the businessmen were given VIP access to parades and other events, the ability to get out of tickets and other favors, the complaint alleges.
Prosecutors said the alleged bribery also gave Reichberg “considerable influence over internal NYPD affairs, including personnel decisions such as the promotion of certain favored NYPD officers.”
Reichberg and Rechnitz both served on de Blasio’s inaugural committee and either donated or raised money for him.
The probe has also involved an investigation of payoffs for gun licenses.
Alex “Shaya” Lichtenstein of Brooklyn has been charged with bribing police to give him gun permits without doing background checks or providing justification for owning a gun.
Lichtenstein allegedly paid thousands in bribes to Villanueva in exchange for expedited gun license applications for his clients, according to court documents.
In addition to cash bribes, the complaint says Villanueva also received bottles of liquor and free limo rides, among other things.
Prosecutors said Villanueva “expedited, approved, and caused to be approved at least approximately 100 to 150 applications submitted by Lichtenstein for his clients.”
Earlier this month, the head of the correction officers’ union was charged with allegedly taking kickbacks.