Ex-Commissioner Sues, Saying Adams Ran N.Y.P.D. as a Criminal Enterprise
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Former interim NYPD Commissioner Thomas Donlon has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Mayor Eric Adams and department leaders of operating as a criminal "racketeering" enterprise, adding fuel to an already volatile NYC mayoral race where Adams is struggling to maintain political viability as an independent candidate.
The Allegations
The 251-page complaint, filed in Manhattan Federal Court Wednesday, names Chief of Department John Chell, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry, First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella, Former Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard, Former Chief of Department Jeffery Maddrey and several other top officials. Donlon alleges the officials' efforts to consolidate power and punish dissent included manipulating the department's Internal Affairs Bureau to block probes, promoting unqualified but politically connected officers — including by forging his approval using his official commissioner's stamp — and retaliating against him by sidelining him and even falsely arresting his wife.
Donlon, a career FBI official who had not previously worked in the NYPD, was brought in as interim commissioner last September to stabilize a department shaken by federal investigations. His predecessor, Edward Caban, stepped down after federal authorities seized his electronic devices as part of an investigation that also involved his brother, a former police officer, along with several other high-ranking police officials.
The lawsuit alleges that NYPD leaders forged internal documents using his official police commissioner stamp to legitimize unauthorized promotions, resulting in millions of dollars in unearned salaries, overtime, pensions, and benefits. Particularly damaging is the allegation that Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Tarik Sheppard forged Donlon's signature on official NYPD promotion memos, using the Police Commissioner's stamp without consent.
A Pattern of Corruption
This marks the fifth lawsuit in two weeks filed by former top NYPD officials against Adams and his administration. Last week, four other former high-ranking New York City police officials filed separate lawsuits against Adams and his top deputies, alleging a culture of rampant corruption and bribes that preceded Donlon's appointment.
Donlon says he directly informed Adams about his concern over "fabricated promotions, systemic fraud, retaliatory policing, and the obstruction of internal investigations by high-ranking officials," but "Adams took no actions in response".
The timing is particularly significant. Donlon served as interim police commissioner from mid-September to late November of 2024, when he was moved to a position as a public safety advisor to Adams. That position was eliminated on May 9, suggesting potential retaliation for his whistleblowing efforts.
Personal Retaliation Alleged
The lawsuit also details what Donlon characterizes as personal retaliation. Donlon's wife was arrested by the NYPD in December after she got involved in a car collision with allegedly expired insurance, according to the New York Post. Donlon claims the arrest was retaliatory and that the incident was leaked to the publication by top department officials.
"This lawsuit is not a personal grievance. It is a statement against a corrupt system that betrays the public, silences truth, and punishes integrity," Donlon said in a statement.
Impact on the NYC Mayoral Race
These allegations couldn't come at a worse time for Adams' political prospects. Adams ran again as a Democrat amid low approval ratings and a federal corruption charges indictment in 2024, but switched to independent in April a few months after the charges were dismissed. The dismissal came after the United States Department of Justice's acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General, Emil Bove, ordered federal prosecutors to dismiss all charges against Adams without prejudice pending a review to be conducted following the general election in November. Bove asserted that the pending case against Adams might impede his efforts to work with the Donald Trump administration on immigration enforcement and crime.
As NYC primary election results come in, Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has a commanding lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the mayor's race. The move to run as an independent, which comes less than 24 hours after a judge permanently dismissed a federal corruption case against the mayor, sets up what is likely to be a frenzied, fast-paced race toward the general election in November.
Adams's governance has failed to inspire confidence. Despite his professed focus on public safety, the mayor let police ranks dwindle to modern record lows, hundreds below the stated headcount of 35,051, forcing the NYPD to rely on mandatory overtime just to maintain coverage.
City Hall's Response
City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak-Altus said the city will respond in court to what she characterized as "absurd" claims. "These are baseless accusations from a disgruntled former employee who — when given the opportunity to lead the greatest police department in the world — proved himself to be ineffective," she said. "This suit is nothing more than an attempt to seek compensation at the taxpayer's expense after Mr. Donlon was rightfully removed from the role of interim police commissioner".
What This Means for NYC
The cascade of lawsuits presents a devastating picture of dysfunction at the highest levels of city government. With Adams now running as an independent candidate, these allegations will likely feature prominently in campaign attacks from both Democratic nominee Mamdani and other candidates in the November general election.
For New Yorkers, it's the devils you know versus the devil you're just getting to know — a choice between a scandal-plagued incumbent and untested alternatives, all while the city's largest police department faces allegations of systematic corruption at its highest levels.
The lawsuit represents not just a legal challenge but a political crisis for Adams, who has positioned himself as the law-and-order candidate while facing mounting evidence of lawlessness within his own administration.
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