An NYPD community-affairs officer who is the target of a federal corruption probe was hit with departmental charges for failing to cooperate, police said Thursday.
Detective Michael Milici was placed on modified duty last month after invoking his Fifth Amendment rights before a grand jury.
Milici, a 20-year veteran who served in Brooklyn’s 66 Precinct, was either served Thursday directly or through counsel, NYPD spokesman Stephen Davis said.
“He’s being charged but I can’t get into the specifics because we’re not allowed to,” Davis said.
Usually, department charges carry a loss of vacation days but Milici has already filed his retirement papers.
Milici was being questioned about his relationship with two businessmen suspected of offering cash and gifts to police brass in exchange for favors, such as free NYPD security at special events and rides to and from the airport.
Milici and other police officials took at least one trip on a private plane with the men in 2014, and that at least some on board allegedly had sex with a hooker dressed as a flight attendant. So far, nine mostly high-ranking officers have been transferred or had their jobs modified as a result of the federal investigation.
A member of the Jewish Orthodox community was hauled into federal court on bribery charges in April as part of the probe for helping expedite gun licenses for members of his community.
Shaya Lichtenstein was secretly recorded by the feds bragging that he helped obtain gun licenses through his connections in the unit.
Since then, the NYPD has suspended 37 gun licenses and 17 are pending suspension after an internal investigation, Chief of Department James O’Neill said. He said 17 more are pending suspension.
“When a license is suspended, the weapons are surrendered,” O’Neill said. “Then thorough review of the license application takes place.”
