The waves from a federal investigation into alleged corruption in the New York City Police Department are crashing the real estate world — Jona Rechnitz of JSR Capital is said to be at the center of the probe.
The FBI is looking into 20 cops, including ranking officers, who allegedly accepted gifts and trips abroad from Rechnitz and another man, Jeremy Reichberg, in exchange for favors, the New York Post reported.
Rechnitz, an Africa Israel alumnus who heads the Manhattan-based real estate investment firm, also strong ties to Mayor Bill de Blasio.
According to the tabloid, Rechnitz donated $50,000 to de Blasio’s Campaign for One New York. (Last month, the political nonprofit, which took $1.1 million from real estate players, was said to be closing down.) Rechnitz and his wife also contributed $9,900 to the mayor’s 2013 campaign, according to records.
Both Rechnitz, whose father has ties to the Orthodox community, and Jeremy Reichberg, a Borough Park leader, served on the mayor’s inauguration committee, the Post reported.
Rechnitz and Reichberg allegedly gave money to a third party who was reportedly to buy discounted liquor for them to sell, the Post reported. The federal probe started after the duo lost their money on the deal, according to the Post.
In 2013, Rechnitz was planning to build a new condominium or hotel project at 238 Madison Avenue. He won big betting on the Super Bowl twice, winning $25,000 on a $500 bet in 2014 and $50,000 in 2012, according to news reports. [NYP] — Dusica Sue Malesevic