New York.- Former New York City Police Commissioner, Bernard Kerik, passed away on Thursday “after a private battle with illness,” confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel, without providing details.
Kerik was appointed police commissioner by Giuliani in 2000 and held the position during the September 11, 2001 attacks. The officer became a familiar face to Americans in the days following the attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center, in September 2001.Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani reflected on his long relationship with his former police commissioner on his Thursday show. “We’ve been together since the beginning. He’s like my brother,” Giuliani said through tears. “I became a better person for having known Bernie. Without a doubt, I was a braver and stronger man.”
In 2010, Kerik pleaded guilty to federal tax fraud and false statement charges, in part due to the renovation of apartments for more than $250,000 that he received from a construction company that, according to the authorities, counted on Kerik to convince New York authorities that he had no ties to organized crime.
He served three years in prison before being released in 2013.
His statement helped him to avoid a maximum sentence of up to 61 years in prison and, instead, he was sentenced to four years in prison. He finally regained his freedom in 2013.
You may be interested in: The NYPD has paid more than 82 million dollars in lawsuits for police brutality so far this year
