NYPD investigates theft allegations made at noisy PBA meeting

The NYPD Bureau of Internal Affairs is investigating a theft charge against a slate of union candidates hoping to remove Pat Lynch as head of the Police Benevolent Association, Daily News has learned.

The allegation that Anthony Gambino, a union delegate for Transit District 1, cashed PBA checks sparked an all-out brawl at a rowdy union meeting on Monday, where officers confronted, pushed and fought each other, police sources said.

Gambino runs for union treasurer. He is on a list of candidates that includes Corey Grable, the union’s transit finance secretary, who is running against Lynch in the next election in June.

Grable and his co-candidates, who are all traffic cops, said the allegations were nothing more than political theater.

“The unprofessional and unscrupulous manner in which Pat and his leadership team addressed an inconsistency that happened and was fixed a few months ago in a public forum to score cheap political points and stir up anger is why we are challenging him.” — Grable . said. “This deliberate, coordinated political attack by Pat Lynch, instigated by other members of the leadership, reflects a terrified PBA president.”

NYPD Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch

At the meeting, union secretary Dan Tirelli addressed dozens of members and accused Gambino of depositing checks electronically at last year’s convention and then cashing them in a check cashing store before the electronic transaction went through.

Tirelli said the checks were returned before they reached the union’s account, according to an audio recording of the meeting provided by the Daily News.

“He knew exactly what he was doing,” Tirelli said, speaking directly to Gambino. “Not only should you not run for treasurer, you should also resign as a delegate right here.

“You fucking criminal!” Tirelli screamed. “Resign as a delegate now!”

This accusation caused a cacophony of shouting in the hall, and some delegates began to pound on the tables. A brawl broke out between the camps, but no one came to a fight, eyewitnesses of the disorder say.

Gambino was quick to defend himself and admitted to cashing checks when the electronic transaction seemed to go wrong on his mobile app.

Delegates quickly descended into chaos as Lynch spoke to the crowd from his presidential podium.

Corey Grable in 2009.

“Two things happened here,” Lynch said, trying to calm the cops in the room. “Either he stole, or he didn’t know what he was doing. In any case, you don’t belong to be treasurer.

A department spokesman said the NYPD Bureau of Internal Affairs was informed of the allegations at the meeting and was investigating them.

A source close to Grable’s plan said the accounting issue was resolved months ago and was only brought up in a meeting to sow dissent against those fighting to unseat Lynch.

“We haven’t had a new contract for six years and he’s afraid people want him removed from his position,” the source said.

The fiery union leader has led the PBA since 1999. He was last re-elected in 2015 in a landslide victory.

Police at the meeting also accused Grable of politicking at the hospital where off-duty police officer Adid Fayaz was fatally shot after being shot during a robbery in Brooklyn on February 4. Fayaz died in the hospital three days later.

“The only thing more important than the integrity of our union is our sacred duty to our fallen heroes,” Lynch said. “PBA delegates support each other to the highest standards on both counts. The union will resolve these issues within the company.”

Grable claims that he did not engage in politicking, but simply supported Fayaz’s relatives, with whom he worked with the Transit Bureau.

“Any suggestion to the contrary is false and disgusting,” Grable said.

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