Brooklyn bar owner files $6 million suit alleging police extortion and city collusion
Bar proprietor Shamel Kelly has sued New York City, former NYPD officials and dozens of officers, claiming they forced his juice bar to close through a shakedown involving the police commissioner's brother.
Shamel Kelly, who opened the Juice & Moore bar in Brooklyn in 2022, claims the Eric Adams administration and NYPD engaged in a campaign of intimidation after he declined a $2,500 payment demanded by James Caban, the twin brother of former police commissioner Edward Caban. According to court filings, the 60th Precinct conducted repeated illegal raids, issued dozens of summonses that were later dismissed, and once deployed more than 40 officers who listed 26 violations.
Kelly says a mayoral staffer, Ray Martin, introduced him to James Caban, who warned the bar would not stay open long without the payment. Following Kelly’s refusal, the alleged police pressure intensified, culminating in the bar’s closure in November 2023 after roughly 60 police visits in a year. The $6 million lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, names the city, the Caban brothers and numerous NYPD officers, and it arrives as a sweeping federal probe into corruption linked to former Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. Attorneys for Kelly argue the case tests whether the city will protect corrupt officials or ordinary business owners.
Why it matters
The case highlights alleged police misconduct and potential city corruption, raising questions about accountability in law enforcement.
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