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NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Four high-ranking former New York City police officials are accusing Mayor Eric Adams and his top deputies of doling out promotions to unqualified allies as part of a scheme that also involved alleged cash bribes paid to the ex-police commissioner.

In separate lawsuits filed Monday, the former officials 鈥� including the NYPD鈥檚 one-time chief of detectives 鈥� described a culture of rampant corruption and cronyism atop the nation鈥檚 largest police department, which was rocked by overlapping federalinvestigations late last year.

Each of the plaintiffs says that, with Adams鈥� tacit approval, they were either demoted or forced into retirement after raising concerns about the practices, according to their lawsuits.

A spokesperson for Adams, who is currently running for reelection, said he would review the lawsuits, adding that all of the police department鈥檚 leaders are held to the 鈥渉ighest standards.鈥�

Beginning in 2023, the suits allege that Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, a longtime ally of Adams, began bypassing internal hiring regulations to promote dozens of 鈥渦nqualified friends鈥� to key public safety posts. Inquiries to an attorney for Maddrey were not returned.

At the time, several veteran NYPD officials raised objections, including the department鈥檚 chief of detectives, James Essig, who noticed an 鈥渦nusually high number鈥� of inexperienced transfers to the department鈥檚 sex crimes unit, according to his lawsuit.

But when Essig complained to Edward Caban, then the first deputy to the police commissioner, he said he was reprimanded for raising the issue.

After Caban was promoted to police commissioner, he informed Essig, a veteran of the department for four decades, that he would be demoted from his position by five ranks.

According to the suit, Essig later learned Caban was 鈥渟elling promotions鈥� to hand-picked friends for up to $15,000.

An attorney for Essig, Sarena Townsend, declined to elaborate on the basis of the bribery allegation. Essig resigned in September of 2023 rather than accept the demotion.

In an emailed statement, attorneys for Caban called the bribery allegation 鈥渦nsupported and reckless,鈥� adding that there was 鈥渘o merit to the allegations raised in these complaints.鈥�

Caban resigned from his position in September following a raid on his home by the FBI. Maddrey, whose home was also searched by federal agents, stepped down after being accused of demanding sex from a subordinate. Neither has been criminally charged.

A spokesperson for the NYPD did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuits also accuse current police officials, including Chief of Department John Chell, of working to squash internal oversight of the mayor鈥檚 allies and policing priorities.

In one instance, the NYPD’s former chief of professional standards, Matthew Pontillo, said that an audit of the department鈥檚 Community Response Team turned up 鈥渢roubling patterns鈥� of unconstitutional stops by officers who delayed turning on their body cameras.

After Pontillo raised the finding in a meeting with then-Commissioner Keechant Sewell, Chell pulled him aside and said, 鈥淲hy鈥檇 you have to tell her?鈥� according to the suit.

Sewell met with Adams later that day, according to the suit. She resigned hours later and was later replaced by Caban.