Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks has resigned as of last night, the latest in a string of departures from allies of embattled mayor Eric Adams, who is currently facing federal bribery and corruption charges. Adams confirmed the news, which was originally reported by the New York Post this morning, in an interview with NY1: “He stated that he wanted to transition to some other things with his life and he doesn’t want this to be a constant burden on the work that we are doing in the city and I accepted his resignation.”
The FBI raided Banks’ home last month, along with that of his brother David and Sheena Wright (who are now married), as part of their investigation into the mayor. David Banks announced his resignation at the end of September, stating that he will leave his post in December. Wright’s upcoming resignation was reported over the weekend, but has not been officially announced.
Phil Banks had an apparently successful career in the NYPD before his stint at City Hall, reaching chief of department, the highest rank for a uniformed officer. However, in 2014 Banks abruptly resigned, and was later named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal police corruption investigation. The FBI uncovered $300,000 of “unexplained cash deposits” in Banks’ accounts between 2007 and 2013, as well as $245,000 in undeclared rental income.
Their investigation linked Banks to favors done for de Blasio fundraiser Jona Rechnitz and businessman Jeremy Reichberg. The former cop received a variety of gifts from the two men, including meals at high-end restaurants and even vacations (one trip to Jerusalem was famously immortalized with a photo album). A far as quid pro quo, Banks is alleged to have arranged for a police escort for one of their friends on one occasion, and used his influence to favor promotion for officers who were also connected to them. Banks was never charged and denied any wrongdoing, declaring any allegations that he traded favors as “100 percent false.”
Despite his departure from the NYPD, Banks’ career, and apparent wheeling and dealing, continued through his position in Eric Adams’ City Hall. In September of this year, after his home had already been raided by the feds, an investigation from THE CITY revealed that a security firm formerly owned by Banks, City Safe Partners, had received a security contract worth over $150 million for “emergency fire watch services.” The contract with the city was granted in part thanks to the approval by his brother’s then-fiancée, Sheena Wright, who voted on the decision as a member of NYCHA’s board. Banks had previously claimed that he had sold his stake in City Safe Partners in 2018, although records have listed him as a partner as late as June 2020. No amendment from the company has signaled a change in Banks’ position as of yet.
Phil Banks is the sixth resignation in Eric Adams’ City Hall since federal authorities began raids on his inner circle and dropped charges on the mayor himself last month. Last week, the mayor’s lawyers filed papers with the court calling for sanctions against federal prosecutors, claiming that they have leaked grand jury material and other sensitive information in “brazen violation” of the court’s rules.
Despite the announcement yesterday and Eric Adams’ comments on local news this morning, Phil Banks has yet to speak publicly about his departure.
