A Brooklyn bar owner, Shamel Kelly, has come forward with allegations that James Caban, the twin brother of ousted NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, tried to “extort” him for $2,500 in exchange for resolving police-related issues at his bar. According to an exclusive report by NBC New
York, Kelly sought help from the top cop’s brother after facing ongoing issues with the NYPD during the summer of 2023.
Kelly revealed that he was introduced to James Caban by Ray Martin, a staffer from the Mayor’s Office of Entertainment and Nightlife, who has since been fired due to his involvement in the alleged scheme. Kelly claimed that Caban offered to mediate his problems with the NYPD for a fee.
“He said he will mediate my issues,” Kelly told NBC New York. “He said he could bring the NYPD to me and resolve our issues is what he said he could do.”
Refusing the offer, Kelly stated that the police presence at his Coney Island bar only intensified, eventually forcing him to shut down his business. Kelly’s establishment, Juice and Moore Bar, operated as both a juice bar and a lounge. Despite holding all the required permits and licenses, it faced numerous noise complaints in 2023, which Kelly said hurt his business.
“After he said I had to pay him for it, I felt like he was trying to extort me and I said, ‘Nah I’m good,’” Kelly said. “I’ll just deal with how I’m gonna deal with it, and it got worse.”
Martin allegedly acted as a fixer for James Caban, advising Kelly to either close his bar or pay up to resolve his issues with the police. “He went on about how he thinks I should just close the bar, and if I don’t close the bar, there’s only one way to get the police to stop doing what they are doing, which was to speak to one of his friends, which was the James Caban guy,” Kelly told NBC.
James Caban, a former NYPD officer, is now entangled in a sweeping federal corruption investigation involving high-ranking officials from the NYPD and aides to Mayor Eric Adams. While no formal charges have been filed against the Caban brothers, they are both under scrutiny as part of the probe.
Phone records reviewed by NBC New York confirmed communication between Kelly and James Caban in August 2023, during which Caban allegedly requested the $2,500 payment. Kelly described his shock at the demand. “I assume you’ll be like ‘oh, okay, let’s figure out what the problem is.’ I’m not expecting ‘Oh, you gotta pay me. Nah, that doesn’t fall with me,” Kelly told the station. “I felt it was like I got an ultimatum. It’s like either you gonna get with this – or you gonna get shut down,” he added.
In February, Kelly closed his bar, expressing disappointment over the experience and suggesting that other business owners in New York may have faced similar situations. “I don’t think it’s just me,” he said. “I think that is probably a thing that is going on in New York specifically to be honest.”
City Hall promptly terminated Ray Martin after learning of the allegations. “We appreciate WNBC for bringing this information to our attention yesterday afternoon,” Deputy Mayor of Communications Fabien Levy said in a statement. “After receiving this inquiry, we immediately began an internal review and found that Mr. Martin violated the terms of his employment. Mr. Martin was terminated for cause yesterday.”
Due to the ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Investigation (DOI) probe, City Hall has refrained from commenting further.
Meanwhile, attorneys for James Caban insist on his innocence. “Mr. Caban unequivocally denies any wrongdoing. His work – as a consultant and acting as a liaison between the Department and a private company – is perfectly legal, especially given his previous career as a NYPD officer,” attorneys Sean Hecker and David Patton said in a statement.
As the corruption probe continues, Kelly has reportedly spoken with federal agents and DOI investigators.