A group of former top New York City Police Department officials filed a series of four lawsuits claiming the force is led by cronyism, corruption, and retaliation.

The suits were brought by former Chief of Detectives James Essig, former Assistant Chief Christopher McCormack, former Assistant Chief Joseph Veneziano, and former Chief of Professional Standards Matthew Pontillo.

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In one suit, Essig accused former Police Commissioner Edward Caban of selling promotions within the department for up to $15,000. 

Essig said he retired from the NYPD in 2023 because he was forced out and retaliated against by Caban and former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey. He noted Caban and Maddrey grew “tired” of him because he challenged them on their “unusual and non-customary promotion and transfer practices.”

The lawsuit alleges that beginning in 2023, Maddrey bypassed the official transfer process.

“Essig noticed that there were a high number of unusual and/or unvetted transfers of Investigators to the CTFD [Criminal Task Force Division],” the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit alleges that “other officers in Essig’s office who were also involved in oversight of the transfer process began to notice that unqualified or inexperienced Detective Investigators were being referred for transfer, or were being placed into CTFD units despite being rejected as unqualified or inexperienced.”

Essig is suing for lost wages, pay increases, and commensurate increases to his pension, punitive damages, and court fees.

Caban’s attorneys, Russell Capone and Rebekah Donaleski, said in a statement that the allegations were baseless.

“There is no merit to the allegations raised in these complaints, including the unsupported and reckless suggestion that former Commissioner Caban accepted anything of value in connection with promotions,” the statement said. “Former Commissioner Caban will vigorously defend against these claims and is evaluating all available legal options in response.”

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A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said the city will review the lawsuits.

“The Adams administration holds our top brass at the NYPD to the highest standards. We will review the lawsuits,” a spokesperson to New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.