NYC bar owner sues city, former NYPD brass over shakedown during Eric Adams-era: like mobsters in a bad movie

A Brooklyn bar owner claims the Eric Adams administration extorted and bullied his business after refusing a shakedown by the police commish’s brother — forcing him to shutter his juice spot barely a year after opening, according to a new $6 million lawsuit.Shamel Kelly, owner of the former Coney Island bar Juice & Moore, says cops from the 60th Precinct relentlessly tormented him after opening in 2022, including conducting illegal raids over minor noise complaints — and slapping him with dozens of summonses that were later tossed, court papers filed in Brooklyn Federal Court Wednesday said. That shakedown helped lead to a sweeping federal corruption probe into aides of former Mayor Eric Adams’ aides as well as top NYPD brass — including ousted top cop Edward Caban and his brother, James, who the suit claims demanded $2,500 in exchange for “resolving” Kelly’s issues. “Shamel Kelly was like any one of us simply trying to make a living and the very officers and officials who were supposed to be protecting him extorted him and ran him out of business like they were mobsters in a bad movie,” his attorney Harry Daniels said.The city, Caban brothers and dozens of NYPD officers are named as defendants in th suit.Kelly said he was subjected to a harassment and extortion scheme when his bar opened in 2022, including one incident where more than 40 cops showed up and issued 26 violations to his bar.Seeking help, mayoral staffer Ray Martin introduced Kelly to James Caban, the commissioner’s twin brother, who told him his issues could be taken care of for $2,500 — but Kelly refused.James warned Kelly “that he would not remain open much longer,” the lawsuit claims.Since he “refused to pay Mr.Caban, the 60th precinct’s presence and harassment intensified significantly,” and led to Kelly’s business closing in November 2023, court papers said. Cops allegedly put on a huge show of force, with “more than ten police vehicles and dozens of ...