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Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Bernard Kerik, New York City's top cop on 9/11, dies at 69
Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik died at the age of 69 "after a private battle with illness," FBI Director Kash Patel announced May 29. Kerik was New York City's top cop in the wake of terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. "With over forty years of service in law enforcement and national security, he dedicated his life to protecting the American people," Patel wrote on X. "As the 40th Police Commissioner of New York City, Bernie led with strength and resolve in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, guiding the NYPD through one of the darkest chapters in our nation's history." The NYPD echoed Patel's sentiment in a statement posted on X, saying, "for nearly two decades, Kerik served and protected New Yorkers in the NYPD, including helping rebuild the city in the aftermath of 9/11." Kerik was later nominated by President George W. Bush to lead the Department of Homeland Security during the early stages of the United States' War on Terror. "Bernie Kerik understands the duties that came to America on September the 11th. The resolve he felt that morning will guide him every day on his job," Bush said in 2004. The nomination was short-lived as Kerik withdrew from consideration days after. His employment of an undocumented migrant as a nanny was later stated as the reason for his withdrawal. Kerik spent three years in federal prison after pleading guilty in 2009 to eight felonies, including tax fraud. His case centered around claims that a construction company seeking a city license paid for renovations at his home. He was later pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2020. Former New York City Mayor Rudy W. Giuliani posted on X: "He was a decorated police officer, Corrections commissioner and NYC police commissioner during the worst terrorist attack on American soil. Bernie oversaw the biggest evacuation of a city during this time. His work in security has benefited many communities."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Bernard Kerik, who led NYPD on 9/11 before prison and pardon, has died at 69
NEW YORK (AP) — Bernard Kerik, who served as New York City's police commissioner on 9/11 and later pleaded guilty to tax fraud before being pardoned, has died. He was 69. FBI Director Kash Patel said that Kerik's death Thursday came after an unspecified 'private battle with illness.' Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who tapped Kerik as a bodyguard for his 1993 mayoral campaign and later appointed him to lead the NYPD, reflected on their long history on his show Thursday. 'We've been together since the beginning. He's like my brother,' Giuliani said through tears. 'I was a better man for having known Bernie. I certainly was a braver and stronger man.' New York City Mayor Eric Adams, also a former NYPD officer, said he'd visited Kerik, his 'friend of nearly 30 years,' at a hospital earlier in the day. Kerik, an Army veteran, was hailed as a hero after the 9/11 attack and eventually nominated to head the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, before a dramatic fall from grace that ended with him behind bars. He served nearly four years in prison after pleading guilty in 2009 to tax fraud, making false statements and other charges. The charges stemmed partially from apartment renovations he received from a construction firm that authorities say wanted Kerik to convince New York officials it had no links to organized crime. During Kerik's sentencing, the judge noted that he committed some of the crimes while serving as 'the chief law enforcement officer for the biggest and grandest city this nation has.' President Donald Trump pardoned Kerik during a 2020 clemency blitz. Kerik was one of the guests feting Trump after his first federal court appearance in Florida in a case related to his handling of classified documents. Kerik grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, where he dropped out of the troubled Eastside High School later depicted in the 1989 film 'Lean on Me.' He joined the Army, where he became a military policeman stationed in South Korea. He went on to work private security in Saudi Arabia before returning stateside to supervise a jail in New Jersey. He joined the NYPD in the late 1980s and was appointed in the 1990s to run New York's long-troubled jail system, including the city's notorious Riker's Island complex. Kerik was appointed by Giuliani to serve as police commissioner in 2000 and was often by the mayor's side in the period after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. 'He was at my side within 20 minutes of the attack and never left,' Giuliani recalled in a statement following Kerik's death. In Kerik's 2015 book, 'From Jailer to Jailed,' he described becoming 'America's Top Cop" after the attacks. 'But I'd give anything for that day not to have happened. I wish it hadn't. But it did,' he wrote. 'And I happened to be there at the time. I was there, and I did the best I could do under the circumstances. It's all any of us did.' He was tapped by President George W. Bush to help organize Iraq's police force in 2003, then nominated to head the U.S. Department of Homeland Security the following year. But Kerik caught the administration off guard when he abruptly withdrew his nomination, saying he had uncovered information that led him to question the immigration status of a person he employed as a housekeeper and nanny. More serious legal troubles followed, culminating in his conviction. In 2005, Kerik founded the Kerik Group, a crisis and risk management consulting firm. More recently, he worked for Giuliani again, surrounding the efforts to overturn Trump's 2020 loss. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Kerik pleaded guilty in 2009, not 2010. The Associated Press
Yahoo
an hour ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bernie Kerik, former NYPD Commissioner known as ‘America's Cop' after 9/11, dead at 69
Ex-NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was known as 'America's Cop' and led the city's police department through the 9/11 terror attacks, died Thursday after he was hospitalized with cardiac disease. He was 69 and surrounded by family and friends at the time of his death at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Kerik, whose high-profile career was peppered with success and controversy, shot to prominence when he was named the Big Apple's top cop by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2000 and presided over a 63% drop in violent crime. The 40th police commissioner was also dubbed the 'beat cop commissioner' for his hands-on leadership style, making five arrests during his 16-month tenure as commissioner, including one involving two ex-convicts in Harlem driving a stolen van. Kerik, whose law enforcement career spanned four decades and involved national security work, helmed the department during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, overseeing response, rescue, recovery and investigative efforts. His actions in the aftermath of the Twin Towers attack were praised, earning him the nickname 'America's Cop.' 'For nearly two decades, Kerik served and protected New Yorkers in the NYPD, including helping rebuild the city in the aftermath of 9/11,' the Finest said on X. 'We offer our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.' Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, mourned his friend of three decades. 'It was just this afternoon that I stopped by the hospital to see Bernie Kerik, my friend of nearly 30 years, before his passing,' Hizonner said. 'He was a great New Yorker and American. Rest in peace, my friend.' FBI Director Kash Patel, a longtime friend, said Kerik was 'a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known.' 'With over 40 years of service in law enforcement and national security, he dedicated his life to protecting the American people. As the 40th Police Commissioner of New York City, Bernie led with strength and resolve in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, guiding the NYPD through one of the darkest chapters in our nation's history,' Patel said in a statement. 'His legacy is not just in the medals or the titles, but in the lives he saved, the city he helped rebuild and the country he served with honor.' Giuliani said in a statement that Kerik was a 'true patriot' and 'one of the bravest men I've ever known.' 'He became police commissioner when they thought crime couldn't be reduced any further, yet he reduced it further. His work helped New York become the safest big city in America and a shining example of urban renaissance,' the ex-mayor said. 'Then he faced the worst foreign attack since the war of 1812 on American soil — September 11th. He was at my side within 20 minutes of the attack and never left.' Born in Newark, New Jersey, on Sept. 4, 1955, Kerik served in the US Army before joining the NYPD in 1986. In 1994, he left the force and joined the Department of Corrections, being named its commissioner four years later by Giuliani, leading up to his stint as the NYPD's top cop. In 2003, following the US invasion of Iraq, then-President George W. Bush named Kerik to head up a provisional police force in the post-war Middle Eastern nation. The former Finest boss later founded Kerik Group, a private crisis and risk management consulting firm. Bush nominated Kerik to head the US Department of Homeland Security in 2004, but the ex-commissioner withdrew his nomination while admitting he had employed an illegal immigrant as a nanny — which led to his guilty plea to ethics violations in the Bronx in 2006. His legal troubles worsened in 2009, when he pleaded guilty to eight federal felonies, including charges that he evaded taxes on a $255,000 gift for home repairs and made false statements to federal officials while being considered for the Homeland Security post. Kerik served four years in federal prison before he was pardoned by Trump in 2020 during his first term in the White House. More recently, Kerik was grilled by Congress during hearings stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol and was subpoenaed to disclose privileged Trump administration documents reportedly linked to the investigation. In 2024, he served as a surrogate for Trump on crime and national security issues. His honors over his career included the NYPD Medal for Valor, 29 NYPD medals for excellence and meritorious service, a Presidential Commendation from President Ronald Reagan and numerous other impressive accolades. Bruce Teitelbaum, who served as Giuliani's chief of staff, said Kerik was 'a tough guy, who made an impact and served our city well. His place in history is secure. 'Fearless, brave, larger than life.' In public, Kerik 'had a tough exterior,' Kathy Vigiano, retired cop and widow of 9/11 hero Detective Joseph Vigiano told The Post. 'Privately, he cherished his family, wife and kids, cops. He was always there for me and my family.' Guardian Angels founder and Republican Big Apple mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa called him 'a cop's cop.' Kerik is survived by his wife, Hala Matil Kerik, and three children, including a son with ex-wife Jacqueline Llerena. His son Joe, 41, followed in his father's footsteps into law enforcement and currently serves on the Newark SWAT team.
Mint
an hour ago
- Politics
- Mint
Who was Bernard Kerik? Ex-NYPD commissioner hailed as 9/11 hero, then enmeshed in fraud case, has died at 69
Bernard Kerik, the disgraced former New York City police commissioner, hailed for his leadership during the 9/11 incident, has passed away at 69 due to illness, according to an AP report. The news was confirmed by the NY police department (NYPD) via social media on May 29. And FBI Director Kash Patel shared that Kerik's death came 'after a private battle with illness'. Kerik fell from grace after pleading guilty for tax fraud and serving time in jail for the same. He was later pardoned by United States President Donald Trump and released from prison, it added. Kerik grew up in Paterson, New Jersey. He dropped out of the local Eastside High School, known for its troubles and which was depicted in the 1989 film 'Lean on Me', and joined the Army, as per the report. He started his military career as a policeman stationed in South Korea. Post the military he worked private security in Saudi Arabia, before returning to the US as a supervisor at a New Jersey jail. He joined the NYPD in the late 1980s and in the 1990s was tapped to run New York's long-troubled jail system, including the city's notorious Riker's Island complex, the AP report noted. Kerik rose through the NYPD ranks to the position of commissioner. He was appointed as police commissioner in 2000 by then mayor Giuliani, and was in the role during the September 11, 2001 twin tower attacks. In Kerik's 2015 book, 'From Jailer to Jailed', he described becoming 'America's Top Cop" after the attacks. Stating: 'But I'd give anything for that day not to have happened. I wish it hadn't. But it did. And I happened to be there at the time. I was there, and I did the best I could do under the circumstances. It's all any of us did.' In 2003, then President George W Bush appointed Kerik to help organise Iraq's police force. In 2004, Kerik was nominated to head the US Department of Homeland Security, but abruptly withdrew his nomination, saying he had uncovered information that led him to question the immigration status of a person he employed as a housekeeper and nanny. In 2005, Kerik founded the crisis and risk management consulting firm, called Kerik Group. In 2010, he was arrested for federal tax fraud and false statements. The charges said he recieved $2,50,000 in apartment renovations from a construction company, to convince NY city officials the firm had no organised crime links. During Kerik's sentencing, the judge noted that he committed some of the crimes while serving as 'the chief law enforcement officer for the biggest and grandest city this nation has.' He served three years in prison and was released in 2013. Later in 2020, US President Donald Trump pardoned Kerik. He later worked for the former mayor of New York City surrounding the efforts to overturn Trump's 2020 loss. Speaking about his friend on May 29, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani praised Kerik saying, 'We've been together since the beginning. He's like my brother. I was a better man for having known Bernie. I certainly was a braver and stronger man.' In his post on social media, Kash Patel described Kerik as 'a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bernard Kerik: A life of highs, lows, and legacy
Bernard Kerik, the former NYPD Commissioner who became a national figure after 9/11, has passed away at the age of 69. He died on May 29, 2025, after a private illness. His death was confirmed by FBI Director Kash Patel, who called him 'a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known. ' For anyone who remembers those chaotic days after the Twin Towers fell, Kerik was one of the most visible, steadying forces on the ground. — Kash_Patel (@Kash_Patel) Kerik's story is straight out of a movie—except this one had some serious plot twists. Born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Paterson, his early life didn't scream 'future NYPD top brass.' He dropped out of high school, joined the U.S. Army, and served as a military policeman. After returning, he made his way into law enforcement, working his way up the ladder. In 2000, then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani tapped Kerik to lead the NYPD. Just a year later, he found himself at the heart of one of America's darkest moments: September 11, 2001. Kerik was everywhere—organizing rescue efforts, comforting New Yorkers, and showing up where leadership was needed most. His grit and presence during that time earned him medals, honors, and global recognition. But life doesn't always stay golden. Kerik's rise was followed by a hard fall. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo In 2009, he pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including tax fraud and lying to the feds. Turns out, he'd accepted free home renovations from a construction firm linked to organized crime. That misstep—and a few others—landed him in federal prison for nearly four years. It was a major fall from grace for someone once considered for a cabinet position in the Bush administration. Then came the comeback—or at least the attempt at one. In 2020, President Donald Trump gave Kerik a full pardon, wiping the slate clean in the legal sense, but not in the eyes of everyone. After his release, Kerik didn't exactly keep a low profile. He threw himself into Trump-world politics and backed Trump's baseless claims of election fraud in 2020. He was part of the post-election noise trying to overturn the results, which drew plenty of side-eye—even from some who once supported him. Still, Kerik wasn't just a headline or a scandal. He wrote a memoir, 'From Jailer to Jailed,' that detailed his dramatic rise, his very public fall, and his thoughts on America's justice system. He spoke about accountability, redemption, and what it's like to go from calling the shots at Rikers Island to serving time behind bars. His death has sparked all kinds of reactions online. One user wrote, 'Bernard Kerik showed real courage on 9/11—no denying that. He led with grit, saved lives, and earned respect during one of NYC's darkest hours. But honoring that bravery doesn't mean ignoring the rest… True accountability means recognizing both the man who ran into danger and the one who later betrayed public trust.' Another posted a much warmer tribute: 'That was beautiful. Bernard Kerik was a man who made a difference for us all. Through decades. A man from when men were men… He will be missed.' And that really sums it up. Kerik's legacy is complicated. On one hand, he's the guy who stepped up when New York needed him most, a strong figure in a sea of chaos after the towers came down. On the other, he's a cautionary tale about power, ethics, and the fallibility of even the most celebrated public servants. People will remember him for his bravery, sure—but they'll also remember the prison sentence, the pardon, and the politics. As New York reflects on Bernard Kerik's life, there's no neat way to package his story. It's human, and it's real. He lived big, made massive contributions, and made some serious mistakes. Maybe that's what makes his story resonate—he was heroic, flawed, and unapologetically complex. And whether you see him as a fallen hero, a redeemed man, or something in between, there's no doubt Bernard Kerik left a mark.
