Top Cop Out! NYPD Commissioner Caban Resigns Amid FBI Probe

NYC Mayor Adams’s Closest Associates Under Federal Investigation

Edward Caban

By M. Thomas Nast

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban resigned Thursday following mounting pressure from federal probes targeting New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s inner circle. Caban, 57, announced his departure in an email to the NYPD, just eight days after federal agents seized his phone as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

The resignation comes as Mayor Adams’s administration faces scrutiny from four federal investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is leading multiple probes, including one that snared Caban. Pressure to step down intensified earlier this week when Adams’s office reportedly asked the commissioner to leave.

Caban, in his farewell message to the department, cited the “recent developments” as a distraction from the job.

“The NYPD deserves someone who can fully focus on protecting and serving New York City,” Caban wrote. “For the good of the city and this department, I’ve made the difficult decision to resign.”

While Caban maintains that he’s not a target of the federal investigation, his departure signals turmoil within City Hall. His attorneys, Russell Capone and Rebekah Donaleski, are expected to issue a statement affirming his full cooperation with authorities. Both Capone and Donaleski are former chiefs of the Southern District’s corruption unit, adding a notable layer to Caban’s defense.

The federal investigation also touches Caban’s twin brother, James, whose phone was seized last week. James Caban, a former NYPD officer fired in 2001, runs a nightclub security business, now under scrutiny by prosecutors and IRS agents. Despite the lack of criminal charges, the seizures of phones and documents have rattled the mayor’s office.

Edward Caban’s resignation is a significant blow to Mayor Adams, who hailed the commissioner’s appointment in July 2023 as a “historic” milestone. Caban, the first Latino police commissioner in the department’s history, had built a decades-long career that began in the South Bronx, where he started as a patrol officer in 1991.

Caban’s sudden exit comes as City Hall struggles with growing concerns over Mayor Adams’s leadership. Federal agents have zeroed in on high-ranking officials within his administration, casting doubt on the stability of the city’s governance. Mayor Adams has yet to comment on Caban’s resignation.

The ongoing investigations raise questions about the future of the NYPD and the city’s top leadership. With four separate probes, including those involving financial dealings and connections to former aides, the fallout is likely far from over.

This developing story is sending shockwaves across New York City politics as investigators continue their search for answers. As more details emerge, the full extent of the damage to Mayor Adams’s administration remains to be seen. Are the Banks brothers next?

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