A Brooklyn bar proprietor has alleged the dual brother of the ousted Police Commissioner Edward Caban tried to “extort” him when he sought assist getting the NYPD off his again final summer time, in accordance with a report.
Shamel Kelly advised NBC New York that he was launched to the highest cop’s brother, James Caban, by a Metropolis Corridor staffer — who was fired Wednesday over his alleged involvement within the association.
Kelly reportedly mentioned that James Caban advised him that he’d deal with his issues with the police division if he paid him $2,500.
“He mentioned he’ll mediate my points,” Kelly advised the native station of the alleged dialog. “He mentioned he may deliver the NYPD to me and resolve our points is what he mentioned he may do.”
However the struggling enterprise proprietor refused — and he claimed the fixed police presence at his Coney Island bar solely bought worse, to the purpose that he finally shuttered the institution.
“After he mentioned I needed to pay him for it, I felt like he was making an attempt to extort me and I mentioned, ‘Nah I’m good.’ I’ll simply take care of how I’m gonna take care of it, and it bought worse,” Kelly mentioned.
Kelly’s enterprise, “Juice and Moore Bar” — a juice bar by day and bar and lounge by night time — had all of the required permits and liquor licenses, however was going through a slew of noise complaints in the summertime of 2023.
He was launched to a staffer from the Mayor’s Workplace of Leisure and Nightlife, Ray Martin, who he hoped may assist him type out the near-constant police presence at his bar that he mentioned was hurting his enterprise.
As an alternative, Martin allegedly acted like a fixer for James Caban.
“He went on about how he thinks I ought to simply shut the bar, and if I don’t shut the bar, there’s just one option to get the police to cease doing what they’re doing, which was to talk to certainly one of his mates, which was the James Caban man,” Kelly advised NBC.
James Caban, a former NYPD cop himself, is the dual brother of Edward Caban who resigned from his gig because the NYPD police commissioner on Thursday.
The twins are being eyed in a sweeping federal corruption probe that extends to main aides of Mayor Eric Adams and prime NYPD brass. Neither has been accused of wrongdoing within the investigation.
Cellphone information reviewed by the information station present that Kelly spoke to James Caban over the telephone and in texts in August 2023.
Throughout a kind of telephone calls, James Caban allegedly requested Kelly for the $2,500 fee, in accordance with the station.
The bar proprietor mentioned he was shocked.
“I assume you’ll be like ‘oh, okay, let’s determine what the issue is.’ I’m not anticipating ‘Oh, you gotta pay me. Nah, that doesn’t fall with me,” Kelly advised NBC.
“I felt it was like I bought an ultimatum. It’s like both you gonna get with this – otherwise you gonna get shut down,” he added.
Kelly finally closed his bar in February, he mentioned.
He mentioned he was upset and upset by what occurred, and believes he’s not the one enterprise proprietor within the metropolis who handled it.
“I don’t assume it’s simply me,” Kelly mentioned. “I feel that’s most likely a factor that is happening in New York particularly to be trustworthy.”
Metropolis corridor fired Martin quickly after studying of the allegations in opposition to him from NBC New York.
“We recognize WNBC for bringing this info to our consideration yesterday afternoon. After receiving this inquiry, we instantly started an inside evaluate and located that Mr. Martin violated the phrases of his employment,” Deputy Mayor of Communications Fabien Levy mentioned in an announcement Thursday.
“Mr. Martin was terminated for trigger yesterday. We anticipate all metropolis staff to behave ethically and within the public curiosity. As a result of WNBC simply reported that each the DOJ and DOI are investigating this matter, we’re unable to remark additional out of sensitives to their investigations.”
Attorneys for James Caban mentioned he’s harmless.
“Mr. Caban unequivocally denies any wrongdoing. His work – as a marketing consultant and performing as a liaison between the Division and a personal firm – is completely authorized, particularly given his earlier profession as a NYPD officer,” his attorneys Sean Hecker and David Patton mentioned in an announcement.
“Our consumer has absolutely cooperated with legislation enforcement and, as soon as their investigation is full, will probably be clear that these claims are unfounded and lack advantage.”
In the meantime, Kelly has since been interviewed by federal brokers and DOI investigators amid the continued corruption probe.