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A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a former acting New York City police commissioner who accused former Mayor Eric Adams' police department and his top deputies of “systemic corruption” and alleged the agency was operating as a “criminal enterprise.”
Thomas Donlon, a former FBI official appointed by Adams to stabilize the scandal-tainted police department, filed the racketeering lawsuit filed in July.
But Donlon said he witnessed “systemic corruption and criminal conduct” enabled by Adams and his allies, who often inflated overtime, impeded internal investigations and disciplined whistleblowers.
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Thomas Donlon, former acting New York City police commissioner, said he witnessed “systemic corruption and criminal conduct” enabled by former Mayor Eric Adams and his allies. (Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office of Photography via AP)
Judge Denise Cote ruled Wednesday that the alleged misconduct did not meet the definition of racketeering activity since the lawsuit did not describe the defendants acting with “a common purpose.”
A spokesperson for the city's Law Department told The Associated Press that they were “pleased that the court agreed that there was no legal basis for this case to continue.”
A lawyer for Donlon, John Scola, told the outlet that his client had already appealed the ruling.
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The police department was accused of operating as a “criminal enterprise.” (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/The Associated Press)
“Mr. Donlon faced corruption within the highest ranks of the NYPD and was forced to resign for refusing to engage in illegal conduct,” Scola said. “We are confident that the Second Circuit will allow their claims to proceed.”
Adams stepped in for Donlon following the September 2024 resignation of former Police Commissioner Edward Caban, whose phone was seized by federal officials as part of a criminal corruption investigation into the then-mayor and his administration.
He served as interim commissioner for about two months before being replaced by Jessica Tisch, who still serves as commissioner under the city's current mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
Judge Denise Cote ruled that the alleged misconduct did not meet the definition of racketeering activity. (Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
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Donlon's lawsuit was just one of several complaints filed by veteran police officers who alleged a culture of rampant corruption and cronyism within the agency during Adams' time as mayor.
Federal prosecutors have also recently brought several bribery cases against former police officers who served under Adams.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
