Former NYPD chief Jeffrey Maddrey denies sexual misconduct allegations following resignation
NEW YORK — Former New York City Police Department chief Jeffrey Maddrey and his attorney held a press conference Friday for the first time since he resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Maddrey, once the department's highest ranking uniformed officer, resigned on Dec. 20. He is accused of trading sexual favors for overtime.
NYPD Lt. Quathisha Epps filed a complaint Saturday with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging Maddrey engaged in a more-than-year-long effort to "coerce her into performing unwanted sexual favors in exchange for overtime opportunities." She says that included intercourse in the office.
According to publicly available payroll data, Epps made a salary last year of over $164,000, but after overtime was factored in, she took home more than $400,000.
Epps says after she refused Maddrey's advances in October, he retaliated.
Epps' attorney said systemic failures within the NYPD allowed Maddrey's alleged predatory behavior to continue unchecked.
Attorney for Maddrey says relationship between ex-chief, accuser was consensual
Maddrey stood alongside his attorney but did not say a word at Friday's press conference. His attorney, however, denied the allegations and described Maddrey as a beloved member of the community and a "cop's cop."
"Those allegations included sexual abuse, taking advantage of her fragile situation and using overtime to pay for sexual favors. We can tell you now, those allegations are a lie. They're not true. We deny every aspect of them," attorney Lambros Lambrou said.
He said Epps was upset she didn't get a promotion, and he claims Epps, who filed for retirement earlier this month, has been under investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau since October for excessive overtime she never worked.
"Lieutenant Epps got caught with her hand in cookie jar and is trying to deflect her wrongdoing by making these allegations against Chief Maddrey in the hopes that she'll get away with part or all of her scheme. However the truth is Lieutenant Epps had consensual adult relationship, albeit for a short time, with Jeff," Lambrou said.
Lambrou referred to Epps as a self-professed swinger, and he said he has evidence to prove the relationship was consensual, including phone calls, videos and racy pictures he alleges Epps sent to Maddrey to initiate the relationship.
CBS News New York reached out to Epps' attorney multiple times for comment but has not yet heard back.
Lambrou also said only supervisors, not chiefs, are in charge of signing off on overtime, and he disputed reports that Maddrey's wife banished him to Georgia.
He said his client, now a practicing attorney, plans to fight the allegations.
"Without the constraints of the NYPD, he's going to take the gloves off and fight for his good name," Lambrou said.
The NYPD, as well as the city's Department of Investigation and district attorney's office, are investigating.
