Former NYPD chief admits to relationship with subordinate, but denies asking for sex for overtime pay

NEW YORK – A former top New York police official admitted through his lawyer on Friday that he had a “consensual, adult relationship” with a female subordinate, but denied it. claims he asked for sex in return for additional payment.

Jeffrey Maddrey remained silent as his attorney, Lambros Lambrou, addressed the allegations that culminated in his resignation a week ago as the department’s chief, the NYPD’s highest-ranking uniformed officer.

Lambrou, speaking to reporters from his Manhattan law office, said the 33-year NYPD veteran’s relationship with Lt. Quathisha Epps only lasted “a short time”. The attorney said Maddrey did not have the authority to sign off on overtime pay.

“Lt. Epps was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and is trying to take away his wrongdoing by making these allegations against Chief Maddrey,” Lambrou said.

The attorney claimed to have text messages, phone records and “lively videos and photos” that he said Epps sent to Maddrey “to get him to start a relationship with her.”

Epps leveled the allegations against Maddrey last weekend in a complaint he filed against the city with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

In it, she alleged that Maddrey engaged in “quid pro quo sexual harassment” by forcing her to “exercise unwanted sexual favors in exchange for overtime opportunities at work.”

Epps, who held an administrative position in Maddrey’s office, was the highest-paid NYPD cop in fiscal year 2024, according to salary data. pulls in over $400,000. More than half of this was overtime pay.

Epps alleges that when she eventually denied Maddrey’s requests, he fought back by claiming she abused overtime, prompting the department to launch an investigation. Lambrou said Friday that the timing was not right because Epps was already under investigation before filing the complaint.

Epps’ attorney, Eric Sanders, said Lambrou’s admission that Maddrey had a sexual relationship with Epps undermined an earlier statement denying “every aspect” of the allegations.

“We have a treasure trove of digital data that will hopefully bring this degenerate to justice,” Sanders said.

Maddrey, a relative of his mayor and former police captain Eric Adamsjoined the NYPD in 1991 and rose through the ranks to become Chief of Patrol in 2021.

Last year, Maddrey was promoted to department head despite a history of internal disciplinary problemsincluding an allegation that he lied to investigators about an affair with another subordinate.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch accepted Maddrey’s resignation on Dec. 20, effective immediately. She appointed John Chell, the former patrol chief, as interim.

The NYPD declined to comment on the allegations against Maddrey, other than to say it “takes all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously and will thoroughly investigate the matter.”

Maddrey’s resignation comes after months of scandal and leadership change at the NYPD, the nation’s largest police department. In September, Commissioner Edward Caban resigned after federal agents raided his home as part of a broad investigation into members of Adams’ inner circle.

Shortly thereafter, Timothy Pearson, another Adams aide with broad latitude over the NYPD, resigned after investigators seized devices and cash from his home. He was also accused of sexual harassment by several colleagues.

Neither Pearson nor Caban have been criminally charged and both have denied wrongdoing.