New York City Mayor Eric Adams was charged with five counts on the 26th, as announced by federal authorities. On the same morning, the New York City Sheriff’s Office was also raided by the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), as it was suspected of holding unaccounted for cash.
A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Investigation responded to the raid by stating that the department is investigating matters related to the Sheriff’s Office and that they appeared at the Long Island City office after receiving a report from the Department of Finance regarding the unaccounted for cash. The Department of Investigation declined to further comment as the investigation is ongoing.
Prior reports had detailed Sheriff Miranda’s appearance at a city council hearing last Tuesday, where he faced questioning from council members regarding the handling of cash seized from illegal marijuana shops by law enforcement personnel.
Following the three-day city council hearing, reports from Politico first shed light on the Department of Investigation’s interest in the matter. The New York Post reported that the investigation was looking into whether Sheriff Miranda, who also serves as the Chairman of the National Latino Officers Association, avoided enforcement actions in exchange for donations.
During the city council hearing on the 17th, Miranda stated that the task of seizing cash from illegal marijuana shops was assigned to the police department for security or evidentiary purposes, which conflicted with the testimony of shop owners.
An attorney representing illegal marijuana shop owner Nadia Kahnauth testified that officers informed her that Sheriff Miranda’s office was responsible for storing the cash seized during raids, leading to conflicting accounts between the two parties.
Kahnauth claimed that the NYPD had issued receipts for all property in the shop, except for the cash, which they were informed was in the hands of the Sheriff. She stated that she had to seek compensation separately from the department’s Internal Affairs and the Sheriff’s Office, as both sides deflected responsibility for the missing funds.
In May 2022, Adams appointed Miranda as the head of the Sheriff’s Office, noting his leadership role in the National Latino Officers Association and his oversight by the First Deputy Mayor. In May of this year, Adams launched the “Lock and Secure Operation” to close illegal marijuana shops, with Miranda’s team leading the joint enforcement effort with the NYPD and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
The duo, once lauded for their partnership, now find themselves embroiled in federal investigations, with Adams facing charges of bribery, telecommunications fraud, and accepting campaign donations from foreign citizens.
As of now, the Sheriff’s Office has not provided a response regarding the raid conducted by the Department of Investigation at their headquarters.