A Brooklyn bar owner has filed a $6 million lawsuit against the city and former NYPD leadership, alleging a pattern of extortion and harassment that led to the closure of his business. Shamel Kelly, owner of the now-closed Juice & Moore, claims he was subjected to relentless police attention and a shakedown attempt by the brother of the former police commissioner.
Kelly alleges that after opening his Coney Island juice spot in 2022, officers from the 60th Precinct harassed his business, conducting what he describes as illegal raids over minor noise complaints. These actions resulted in dozens of summonses that were later dismissed, according to court documents filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
The lawsuit states that after Kelly refused to pay $2,500 to James Caban, the twin brother of then-NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, the alleged harassment intensified. Kelly claims James Caban, introduced to him by a mayoral staffer, suggested he could resolve the issues for the payment. Following Kelly's refusal, James Caban reportedly warned that the business would not remain open much longer.
According to the suit, police presence outside the bar escalated significantly, with "more than ten police vehicles and dozens of officers" appearing on several occasions. Kelly estimates he encountered at least 60 police visits in the year leading up to the business's closure in November 2023.
The lawsuit asserts that the alleged shakedown and subsequent harassment scheme contributed to a broader federal corruption probe involving aides to former Mayor Eric Adams and top NYPD brass, including Edward and James Caban.
Kelly's attorney, Harry Daniels, stated, "Shamel Kelly was like any one of us simply trying to make a living and the very officers and officials who were supposed to be protecting him extorted him and ran him out of business like they were mobsters in a bad movie." The suit names the city, the Caban brothers, and dozens of NYPD officers as defendants.
Kelly expressed feeling "vindicated" by federal raids on the Caban brothers, which occurred prior to his lawsuit. The suit also claims that Edward Caban, in his capacity as commissioner, allegedly used his position to override official complaints Kelly made regarding police misconduct.
Ray Martin, a mayoral staffer who introduced Kelly to James Caban, was reportedly fired after Kelly's experience was first reported. Attorneys for James Caban have previously denied any wrongdoing.
"It's time for this city to decide," said another of Kelly's attorneys, Bernarda Villalona. "Are you going to protect corrupt officials or hard working folks like Shamel Kelly?"