A former New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, Andrew Nguyen, has been charged with multiple offenses including bribery, narcotics trafficking, firearms violations, and robbery. The charges were announced by Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office; and Jessica S. Tisch, NYPD Commissioner. Nguyen was arrested on Tuesday morning and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.
“The NYPD is the most professional and most effective police department in the world,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers rely on and trust the women and men of the NYPD. As alleged, Andrew Nguyen not only breached that trust for profit, but he also committed crimes against his fellow New Yorkers. New Yorkers, including our thousands of dedicated NYPD officers, want him brought to justice.”
Assistant Director in Charge Raia stated: “Andrew Nguyen allegedly levied his official position as an NYPD officer to accept more than $30,000 in bribes in exchange for transporting narcotics and providing unauthorized armed protection to their illicit operations. Nguyen’s alleged support to a drug trafficking enterprise directly violated the oath he swore to uphold as well as the public’s trust. While the vast majority of our NYPD partners are deeply committed to honoring their duty to protect and serve, the FBI will never tolerate those who besmirch the badge for personal profit.”
NYPD Commissioner Tisch added: “The NYPD holds its officers to the highest standards, and it’s an affront to our department when someone so blatantly abuses the public’s trust. Andrew Nguyen allegedly endangered the communities he was sworn to protect and put his fellow officers’ lives in danger. The NYPD has zero tolerance for corruption of any kind, and I thank the members of the department who investigated this case and our partners in the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their support in rooting out this misconduct.”
According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, between 2020 and November 2023 Nguyen is accused of repeatedly abusing his role as an NYPD officer by soliciting and accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from another individual identified as CC-1 in connection with a drug trafficking operation.
Nguyen allegedly transported drugs—including about eight kilograms of cocaine—while armed with his service weapon and carrying police credentials intended to help evade law enforcement if stopped or provide protection if violence occurred during these activities.
He is also accused of driving CC-1 to drug meetings while armed; accessing confidential information about other drug dealers through police databases at CC-1’s request; offering to arrest rival dealers for payment; using an official vehicle for unsanctioned stops designed to benefit CC-1 financially; expressing willingness—though not acting—to kidnap individuals over debts owed within criminal circles; conspiring with others to rob a courier under false pretenses; and participating in undercover operations where he accepted $5,000 for transporting what he believed were illegal drugs.
At his arrest earlier Tuesday morning at his Harriman residence, authorities found several firearms—including loaded pistols with hollow-point ammunition—and large quantities of ammunition during a search authorized by warrant.
Nguyen faces eight counts ranging from honest services wire fraud (with up to 20 years imprisonment) through conspiracy charges related both to bribery schemes (upwards of five or ten years each), narcotics distribution (mandatory minimums starting at ten years), possession of firearms tied to drug offenses (mandatory minimum five years consecutive), attempted distribution offenses (ten-year minimums), as well as conspiracy involving robbery under federal statutes.
Sentencing guidelines are set by Congress but final decisions rest with presiding judges.
Jay Clayton commended both FBI investigators and members of NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau involved in bringing forward these charges.
The prosecution is being managed by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. King and Jonathan Rebold from both Public Corruption Unit and Narcotics Unit within Clayton’s office.
