New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban’s twin brother, who is a former police officer, is being investigated for allegedly working as a “fixer” for restaurants and nightclubs in the city, according to a report.
Federal investigators are probing consulting work James Caban, 56, allegedly did for swanky Manhattan hotspots, as well as allegations he worked to ease tensions between the establishments and police, sources told the New York Post.
“It wasn’t old-school Mafia, ‘If you don’t pay, we break your windows,’” one source told the outlet. “But [it was], ‘My brother is a big shot, and he can make your fines and underage drinking go away.’”
According to the report, the businesses Caban worked with included Marquee and PhD, owned by the TAO Hospitality Group, and Creatures at Selina Rooftop in Chelsea, which has been slapped with more than 150 noise complaints over the last two years, public records show.
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Caban was allegedly called when police issued a noise citation or an underage drinking complaint to the businesses. He would then pay visits to the local precinct heads — many of whom are also under federal investigation, according to the report.
On Wednesday, the FBI raided the homes of both Cabans, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III and former NYPD official Timothy Pearson, who now advises Mayor Eric Adams on public safety, and seized their electronic devices, the report added, noting that the officials were subpoenaed as part of a corruption investigation in connection with influence peddling.
Last year, federal agents seized Adams’ devices as he was leaving an event in Manhattan and raided the home of one of his top fundraisers. Adams has denied any wrongdoing, but confirmed last month he had received a subpoena from federal prosecutors and said he and his team are cooperating.
As part of the investigation into James Caban, investigators are looking at police reports involving Manhattan bars and restaurants, as well as emails from NYPD officials, to determine if the complaints were handled correctly, according to the report.
Caban’s alleged involvement with the establishments reportedly began as recently as when his brother was the first deputy commissioner under then-NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who resigned in July 2023.
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The report noted that he was allegedly offering his services to officers working at concerts in Manhattan, touting his influence in the police department with his brother slated to take over as the police commissioner.
James Caban joined the NYPD in 1989 before a number of complaints and allegations eventually led to his departure in January 2001, according to public records.
He faces substantiated charges over allegations he used excessive force and abused his authority on two separate occasions, in 1996.
But he still moved up to the rank of sergeant before being booted from the force in 2001 for wrongfully detaining and threatening a cab driver who he suspected of taking money from his wife’s purse, City & State New York reported.
Caban later purchased an apartment building in the Bronx before he was put on a list of the city’s worst landlords in August 2013, according to the outlet.
A couple of months later, he found himself in jail for 30 days for failing to make hundreds of necessary repairs to his building on Commonwealth Avenue, The Real Deal reported.
The housing court judge said at the time that Caban had ignored every request by the city to fix more than 300 open property violations and that the city had already spent $115,000 to fix other emergency issues.
Caban claimed that he did not have the money to repair the building, according to the New York Daily News.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Edward Caban, Eric Adams’ office, TAO Hospitality Group and Creatures at Selina Rooftop in Chelsea, but has not yet heard back.
In a statement, a DCPI spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “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.”
