New York – Fed’s: No More Arrests Imminent In NYPD Corruption Probe

New York – No new charges are pending in a New York Police Department corruption probe, although a prosecutor didn’t rule it out Tuesday after saying authorities are studying evidence recovered after a family member of one defendant was spotted during a raid carrying cellphones and other materials from the home of a Brooklyn businessman.

“All things are possible, but nothing is imminent,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin Bell told U.S. District Judge Gregory Woods at a pretrial hearing.

Last month, two high-ranking NYPD officers pleaded not guilty to charges they took over $100,000 worth of free flights, prostitutes, meals and other bribes from a Brooklyn businessman, Jeremy Reichberg, to provide police services including providing police escorts and speeding the processing of gun permits.

Bell said federal agents conducting raids the day of the arrests caught one of Reichberg’s family members trying to leave home with thumb drives, seven smartphones, computer and paper evidence. He said the family member also had business cards of local politicians and members of the police department.

Bell said it will take time to analyze the evidence.

Susan Necheles, Reichberg’s lawyer, said she and other defense lawyers expected to file plenty of pretrial motions challenging the charges in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling that relaxed the interpretation of what constitutes corruption when public servants are involved.

“The state of law is really in flux,” she said.

She says her client did not commit a crime.

“Although the prosecutor’s statements were deliberately sensationalist, I am confident that none of the evidence seized by the FBI will establish that Mr. Reichberg committed a crime,” Necheles said.

Reichberg, who is charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, was a heavy contributor to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s election campaign.

The mayor, a Democrat, hasn’t been implicated in any wrongdoing.