Key facts
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani's late-night basketball games at an NYPD gym are under scrutiny for potential ethics violations.
- Two former municipal attorneys suggest the games may flout city ethics laws.
- The games have reportedly disrupted NYPD academy operations on at least three occasions.
- Using city resources like the NYPD gym without payment could be an unlawful personal advantage, according to an ethics expert.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's practice of hosting late-night basketball games with friends at the NYPD's Police Academy gym in Queens has drawn criticism from former municipal attorneys who believe it may violate city ethics laws. The games, which began this summer, have reportedly disrupted academy operations on at least three occasions. Experts suggest that using the gym without payment could constitute an unlawful personal advantage. Mayor Mamdani stated he would find another venue if disruptions continued, while his office maintained that the games do not interfere with training. It remains unclear if the mayor or his friends have reimbursed the city for the use of the facility or if the Conflicts of Interest Board has received a formal complaint.