Once the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the NYPD, retired Chief Philip Banks finds himself entangled in a federal investigation of the NYPD and Mayor de Blasio's fundraising. NY1 Criminal Justice Reporter Dean Meminger has this follow to Monday's arrests of several officers.
This week's arrest of two police commanders on corruption charges sent shock waves through the NYPD.
In a federal criminal complaint, businessmen Jeremy Reichberg and Jona Rechnitz are charged with lavishing the top cops with more than $100,000 in gifts in return for police favors.
But the complaint lists another commander, an unnamed 'Chief 1'. It says the men built a relationship with 'Chief 1,' hoping to have a "one stop shop" for assistance at the NYPD.
That unnamed chief is Philip Banks, the retired chief of department
The Police Commissioner would not say much when asked about Banks at Monday's news conference.
"I can't speak to anything as it relates to former Chief of Department Philip Banks," Bratton said.
After 28 years on the force, Banks retired in 2014, as the highest-ranking uniformed officer.
The criminal complaint says the businessmen met Banks through one of the commanders arrested Monday, Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, the Number Two in Banks' office.
The complaint says Rechnitz took Harrington and Banks to dinner at least once or twice a week, paying the tab of $400 to $500 per meal. Sources close to the chiefs say that's an extreme exaggeration. Rechnitz is cooperating with the feds, hoping for leniency in his case.
The complaint alleges no criminal wrongdoing by Banks, and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on Monday would not say if more arrests are coming.
"I don't know if you should expect more or not," he said. "The case is on going and the investigation continues. We have not closed the investigation."
Banks' attorney, Ben Brafman, told NY1 the retired chief has never been interviewed, contacted or subpoenaed in this investigation. He said Banks did not intentionally violate any laws and nothing has changed that.
Early this month, when Correction Union President Norman Seabrook was arrested on bribery charges, Bharara said Seabrook and an unnamed NYPD officer traveled to Israel for free with Reichberg and Rechnitz, at the businessmens' expense. That NYPD officer is said to be Banks. Sources close to Bankis said while there he met with counterterrorism officials.