New York City Mayor Eric Adams declined to say Tuesday if he remained confident in the city’s police commissioner, days after federal agents seized the cellphones of the head of the police department and at least four other high-ranking mayoral deputies.
In his first news conference since the whirlwind of seizures, Adams — whose own devices were taken by FBI agents in November — acknowledged that the sudden increase in federal scrutiny had “raised a lot of questions and a lot of concerns.” He then deflected questions about whether he planned to remove the police commissioner, Edward Caban, amid a series of news reports claiming Caban is under pressure to resign.
“I have the utmost confidence in the New York City Police Department,” Adams said when asked if he remained confident in Caban’s leadership, noting that if there are any changes, his administration would announce them.
Quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Adams spoke to reporters online for more than an hour, striking a sober and cautious tone as he sidestepped questions about how many members of his administration had been contacted by federal agents or if anyone would be stripped of their duties.
He also declined to say whether Caban had been barred from communicating with federal law enforcement agencies, which work in close cooperation with the nation’s largest police department.
Instead, Adams spoke at length about his background as a child of working class parents who rose to become a New York City police captain, noting: “My entire life has been pursuit of justice and this administration will continue to do that no matter what happens.”
The SDNY and IRS have seized the cellphones of numerous NYPD officials, including at least one phone belonging to Commissioner Edward Caban. News 4’s Melissa Russo reports.
Other questions being investigated are if officers were asked to crack down harder on clubs that did not do business with the commissioner’s brother or if promotions were given to officers who played along with the potential scheme, according to sources.
“The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation,” an NYPD spokesperson said Thursday. The NYPD referred any further questions to the U.S. Attorney.
No one has been charged in the investigation.
News 4 left several messages for James Caban on his phone and with a family member, but were not returned.
A spokeswoman for the IRS Criminal Investigation division declined to comment.
In a separate investigation, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are investigating past fundraising by a campaign of Mayor Eric Adams.
The full scope of the investigation is unclear and no criminal charges have been filed.
Adams has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
More questions are being raised regarding NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban’s twin brother allegedly benefiting from the use of police department resources. It is one of three investigations swirling around NYPD headquarters and City Hall, as the FBI and federal prosecutors focus on possible corruption involving top aides to Mayor Eric Adams. NBC New York’s Jonathan Dienst reports.
