Jamiel Altaheri, the former police chief of Hamtramck, Michigan, abruptly resigned from a new position with New York City Health and Hospitals after just one day, amid allegations of domestic abuse and an attempt to solicit a presidential pardon for up to $5 million. Altaheri, who made history as the police chief of the nation's first Muslim-majority city, was hired for the New York role shortly after Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inauguration.
Altaheri stepped down after questions arose about the allegations, which were detailed in a lawsuit filed in June 2025 by former Hamtramck City Manager Max Garbarino and special investigator David Adamczyk. The lawsuit claims Altaheri abused his wife, ripping out her fingernail during a dispute, and attempted to bribe then-President Donald Trump for a pardon for an unnamed friend. Altaheri has denied the allegations, calling them "baseless" and "old news," and attributing their spread to "Islamophobia."
The former chief previously served 20 years with the NYPD before moving to Hamtramck in 2024. He co-founded the NYPD Muslim Officers Society and established the Yemeni American Law Enforcement Officers Association. Altaheri resigned from his Hamtramck role last fall and accepted a settlement, receiving severance pay. He stated that he voluntarily resigned and was later offered his job back in Hamtramck, which he declined.
According to the lawsuit, Adamczyk alleged witnessing Altaheri's wife reporting being physically assaulted and that Altaheri told subordinates not to document domestic violence incidents formally. The suit also claims Altaheri's wife discovered evidence of an affair on his phone, leading to an altercation where she reportedly had a fingernail ripped out. Adamczyk also stated that he and his wife recorded conversations where comments were made about Altaheri punching her. Altaheri denied these claims, attributing 911 calls at his residence to a missing dog or other tenants.
An internal investigation in Hamtramck, prompted by the lawsuit, substantiated several allegations against Altaheri not related to domestic violence. These included accusations of directing an evidence technician to delete data from his phone after being placed on administrative leave, and driving drunk in a city-issued vehicle after visiting a strip club, with witnesses corroborating erratic driving and the use of his siren to run red lights. The investigation also noted at least five 911 calls at Altaheri's residence reported by the mother of his son, including one where officers responded to an injured woman whom Altaheri allegedly asked to be investigated for drug use and for the police report to be vague to aid his custody case.
The lawsuit also alleged Altaheri conspired with Michigan restaurateur Mark Zarkin, a Trump ally, to solicit a presidential pardon. According to the suit, Altaheri claimed Zarkin would pay Trump between $1 million and $5 million for the pardon, with Altaheri receiving at least $10,000. Adamczyk alleged that Altaheri traveled with Zarkin to Mar-a-Lago to discuss the deal. A White House spokesperson denied these accusations, stating pardons are not for sale and President Trump acts ethically. The independent investigation did not confirm or deny the pardon allegations but noted the existence of two city identification cards for Zarkin.
Altaheri and other defendants denied the allegations and countersued. A settlement conference is scheduled for November. After the controversy in Michigan, Altaheri sought a return to New York. The Mayor's office stated to The New York Times that they had not offered Altaheri a position with the NYPD, though Altaheri claimed he was offered a role with New York City Health and Hospitals. He told The Times he resigned from that position after one day because he was asked about the allegations, stating, "You can Google my name and it all comes up. Obviously everything had been disclosed during the entire application process."
No criminal charges have been filed against Altaheri, and the civil lawsuit remains ongoing. He is currently running a consulting company and works as an executive manager. He has stated he does not plan to seek public office.