A Mayor de Blasio donoꩲr had so much pull at the NYPD that cops had to turn to the businessman for help with internal police transfers, Manhattan federal prosecutors said Monday.
Manhattan federal prosecutors said they plan to introduce evidence at Jeremy Reichberg’s upcoming bribery trial about five NYPD officers whose job transfers tied back to the moneyman, who together with his pal Jona Rechnitz, helped raise at least $100,000 for 𝓡de Bla♛sio’s mayoral bid.
Reichberg had the pull to recommend job transfers at the NYPD through through Michael Harrington, retired deputy chief and right-hand m🐎an to then-Chie𒁃f of Department Philip Banks, according to prosecutor Kimberly Ravener.
Ravener also linked Reichberg’s alleged co-conspirator, retired NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant, to the alleged scheme, saying he was the one who tapped Reichberg to make transfer requesღts for the five unnamed officers.
“Mr. Grant is going to a civilian, Mr. Reichberg, to have people moved around at the NYPD,” Ravener sai🐽d. “After Mr. G♈rant made those requests (to Reichberg) those changes came through,” she said.
The allegations echo statements from Reichberg’s former pal Jo🌊na Recಌhnitz, who has previousl🎀y said that he and Reichberg helped get Grant promoted and transferred to a better job — thanks to their pull with Banks.
“Jeremy and I really spoke to Phil Banks on a regular basis about promoting him (Grant) and transferring him to a better police precinct, whꦐich indeed did happen. He b꧒ecame an inspector,” Rechnitz told a federal jury at a separate corruption trial last year.
Rechnitz went on to testify that he believed he and Reichberg were responsible for Grant’s promotion because Banks allowe💃d them to call Graไnt with the news.
“Ph𝓀il allowed us to tell him the good news, and he said: I took care of y💦our boy,” Rechnitz testified at the corruption trial of former union boss Norman Seabrook.
Harrington has pleaded guilty in the case. Banks was ne⛦ver charged with any wrongdoing.
Grant stands accused of acting as a rent-a-cop to Reichberg and Rechnitz in exchange for bribes. Prosecutors say Grant provided police escorts, gun permits and other favors in exchange for a private jet trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl, a two-night♓ stay in a hotel in Rome and jewelry.
Gra▨nt 𓆏and Reichberg are scheduled to go to trial on May 7.
But Judge Gregory Woods told defense lawyers they could delay 𓆏the trial — for a second time — amid complaints about late-breaking evidence, including videos Rechnitz made of police escorts he and Reichberg took, complete with police sirens and lights.
R💟eichberg said he would need to consult with his rabbi for deciding whether or not to delay the trial.