3 NYPD officials, businessman arrested as part of corruption probe
Eyewitness News
Updated 2 hrs 19 mins ago
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Three high-ranking 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 sunrise raids.
The fourth defendant is Jeremy Reichberg, a Brooklyn 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 the Shomrim, the Orthodox Jewish patrol that has long been controversial for its tactics protecting the Borough Park section of Brooklyn.
The four arrests appear to be the culmination of the NYPD portion of the ongoing investigation into corruption stemming from businessmen Reichberg and Jona Rechnitz.
Rechnitz had been cooperating with federal prosecutors. Rechnitz, who also worked with federal investigators in the Norman Seabrook case, provided information that led to charges against Harrington and Grant, according to the criminal complaints.
The two NYPD officials, Harrington and Grant, are accused of accepting meals, trips and complimentary Super Bowl tickets. One of the trips was with a prostitute.
Both live on Staten Island, and both were arrested Monday morning.
Prosecutors say Rechnitz and Reichberg paid more than $100,000 for flights, hotel rooms, prostitutes, expensive meals, home improvements and prime seats to sporting events for the two NYPD officials.
In exchange, Grant and Harrington were "effectively ... on call - ready and willing to use their official authority within the NYPD to provide assistance on an as needed basis," the criminal complaints said, including "police escorts for them and their friends, assistance with private disputes and investigations, police resources for security at religious sites and events, and the ability to get out of tickets or other infractions, and special access to parades and other cultural events."
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.
A fourth NYPD officer, Richard Ochetal, has already pleaded guilty.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is expected to discuss the case later in the day.