A Coney Island bar proprietor stated he was informed his issues with the NYPD may very well be resolved if he employed and paid the police commissioner’s brother. The bar proprietor alleged it was a employee within the mayor’s workplace who allegedly tried to assist prepare the deal.
“I felt it was like I bought an ultimatum. It’s like both you gonna get with this – otherwise you gonna get shut down,” bar proprietor Shamel Kelly informed NBC New York.
Shamel Kelly stated it was affiliate director Ray Martin of the mayor’s Workplace of Leisure and Nightlife who first informed him he may pay the police commissioner’s brother to assist get higher therapy from the NYPD.
“He simply stated he was an assistant of Eric Adams. He stated he is aware of individuals and he dropped the Eddie Caban title as a result of I suppose he’s the NYPD commissioner and I used to be having issues with the NYPD,” Kelly stated.
Kelly alleges he reached out to James Caban – the police commissioner’s twin brother – and that James Caban informed him he may assist Kelly along with his NYPD issues if he paid him about $2,500 upfront.
The state liquor authority stated Kelly’s bar was not going through any fees of wrongdoing – however there have been dozens of noise complaints to 3-1-1 about loud music.
Kelly says he felt too many cops from the 60 precinct saved exhibiting up – hurting his comparatively new enterprise – The “Juice and Moore Bar” – alongside Mermaid Avenue.
Information 4’s Melissa Russo with the most recent.
He stated pleas for assist from the NYPD and local people board had been unsuccessful.
Kelly stated he by no means anticipated that Ray Martin from the mayor’s workplace would give him this recommendation: “He went on about how he thinks I ought to simply shut the bar, and if I do not shut the bar, there’s just one method to get the police to cease doing what they’re doing, which was to talk to one among his associates, which was the James Caban man,” Kelly stated.
James Caban, an ex-cop, is the dual brother of Edward Caban, the NYPD commissioner who resigned Thursday.
Kelly confirmed telephone data and textual content messages from Aug. 2023 the place Martin from the mayor’s workplace allegedly inspired Kelly to contact James Caban.
“Hey Shamel – reminder to name James,” one textual content learn.
Kelly stated telephone data and texts present he and the commissioner’s brother mentioned the problems surrounding his enterprise, which was a juice bar by day and licensed to serve alcohol on weekend nights.
James Caban allegedly wrote: “Spoke to the commanding officer and the most important criticism from the neighborhood board is that you’re registered as a juice bar and now you might be doing events there…a lot of noise complaints.”
“You probably have a license to serve alcohol, and it was summertime and neighborhood board knew we had been going to Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night time occasions,” Kelly stated.
Data recommend Kelly and Caban additionally spoke by telephone. And that is when Kelly says James Caban requested him for the preliminary $2,500.
“He stated he’ll mediate my points,” Kelly stated of the alleged dialog. “He stated he may convey the NYPD to me and resolve our points is what he stated he may do.”
However Kelly stated he turned down the provide.
“After he stated I needed to pay him for it, I felt like he was making an attempt to extort me and I stated, ‘Nah I am good.’ I will simply take care of how I am gonna take care of it, and it bought worse,” Kelly stated.
Kelly stated the Ray Martin and James Caban connection gnawed at him.
“I assume you may be like ‘oh, okay, let’s determine what the issue is.’ I am not anticipating ‘Oh, you gotta pay me. Nah, that does not fall with me,” Kelly stated.
Ray Martin didn’t return requests for remark.
James Caban’s legal professional’s issued an announcement: “Mr. Caban unequivocally denies any wrongdoing. His work – as a guide and appearing as a liaison between the Division and a personal firm – is completely authorized, particularly given his earlier profession as a NYPD officer… Our shopper has totally cooperated with regulation enforcement and, as soon as their investigation is full, it will likely be clear that these claims are unfounded and lack benefit.”
Edward Caban resigned Thursday saying in an announcement, “My full focus have to be on the NYPD – the Division I profoundly honor and have devoted my profession to serving. Nevertheless, the noise round current developments has made that not possible and has hindered the vital work our metropolis requires. I’ve subsequently determined it’s in one of the best curiosity of the Division that I resign as Commissioner.”
Caban’s attorneys inform NBC New York, “We’ve been knowledgeable by the federal government that he’s not a goal of any investigation being carried out by the Southern District of New York, and he expects to cooperate totally with the federal government.”
Nobody has been charged in reference to the case.
Former NYPD chief of division Terry Monahan, an NBC New York guide, stated, “All the pieces we heard from the bar proprietor, if these allegations are true, it’s at minimal unethical, and probably prison, in the best way they had been coping with the bar proprietor.”
Kelly stated, ”I’ve been actually actually actually actually actually like damage, disenchanted, pressured, depressed.”
Kelly isn’t just making the allegations now – as he posted his considerations on social media again in February – however on the time, few observed.
As for Juice and Moore, Kelly closed it down in February.
“I do not suppose it is simply me,” Kelly stated. “I feel that’s most likely a factor that is occurring in New York particularly to be trustworthy.”
Metropolis corridor late at this time issued this assertion: “We respect WNBC for bringing this info to our consideration yesterday afternoon. After receiving this inquiry, we instantly started an inner assessment and located that Mr. Martin violated the phrases of his employment. Mr. Martin was terminated for trigger yesterday. We anticipate all metropolis staff to behave ethically and within the public curiosity.”
The staffer, Martin, was fired and has not returned requests for remark.
The bar proprietor, Kelly, stated the feds and DOI investigators interviewed him Thursday afternoon after NBC New York raised questions associated to Kelly’s claims and the continued corruption investigations into metropolis corridor and the NYPD.
