Cop-feud club booze penalty
THE STATE has revoked the liquor license for a Brooklyn hip-hop club whose owner is suing an NYPD commander, claiming that the highranking officer shook him down for tickets to Puerto Rico and assistance to the hurricane-ravaged island.
As of early June, Club Love & Lust in Sunset Park has been operating without a liquor license, meaning it can stay open, but cannot sell booze.
The license was ultimately pulled a few days after the club owner, Imran Jairam, filed a $125 million notice of claim alleging that the NYPD has been constantly harassing him with inspections since he opened the nightspot in 2014.
Jairam also alleges, that after three years of unwarranted and unnecessary "selective enforcement" based solely on the club's black clientele, Deputy Inspector Emmanuel Gonzalez, the commanding officer of the 72nd Precinct, went to the club owner with his hand out after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico last September.
Gonzalez approached Jairam, demanding that the club send a generator to a Dr. Oscar Caban Badillo, according to the club owner's filing.
"This is critically important," Gonzalez wrote in a text to Jairam on Oct. 4, a day before the precinct commander flew to Puerto Rico to be part of the relief effort.
Jairam kept the texts, which are used as an exhibit in the notice of claim.
"I must get that generator to that clinic," the deputy inspector allegedly wrote.
Gonzalez also asked the club owner to pay for 11 round-trip tickets to Puerto Rico, at a cost of roughly $80,000, according to the court filing.
Jairam denied both of Gonzalez's alleged requests, the notice of claim states.
He said he did connect the commanding officer with a hip-hop artist with whom he was acquainted, but didn't know if the artist helped him with the generator or the tickets.
A State Liquor Authority spokesman said the agency decided to pull Jairam's license on May 16 — before his notice of claim was filed. Jairam appealed the authority's decision, and lost following a hearing on May 23.
The club lost its license after the police accused it of having a disorderly premises, failing to supervise patrons and for “becoming a focal point of police attention.”
The club was also accused of failing to comply with health regulations and for allowing “availing” — when a club lends its liquor license to a third party.
With no liquor license, several events expected to take place at Love & Lust have been rescheduled at other venues.
Supporters put together a “#justiceforlustny” social media campaign that drew the attention of rapper Cardi B, who used to work as a dancer at the club.
“Justice for LUST!!!” Cardi B wrote on Instagram. “Come on now that's f---- up, never a shoot out, nobody ever got murked. It's like you can't win for s---!!! Open them locks for @Justbk.”
Jairam's attorney, Eric Sanders, said he and the club plan to fight the liquor authority's allegations.
“We have a First Amendment right to operate and operate we will soon, once ridding ourselves of these parasitic governmental influences,” Sanders said.