New York - Former Police Commissioner Kerik Again Under Investigation

New York - Federal authorities are investigating the former police commissioner Bernard Kerik, for his involvement in a foundation that he oversaw while head of the city's Correction Department.

The inquiry by the FBI and federal prosecutors focuses on possible financial improprieties involving the foundation, which was run by the Correction Department.

In 1995, the foundation asked tobacco companies to send checks to the city. Under an earlier rebate program, city jails would receive promotional clothing, sporting goods and other merchandise in exchange for rebate points on cigarette packs. At the time that Correction Department officials said they used the rebate money to produce promotional videos and throw holiday parties for inmates, but that they refused to release documents itemizing the foundation's spending.
The group's treasurer, then-deputy police commissioner Frederick Patrick, pleaded guilty in July 2003 to stealing more than $137,000 from the foundation. He was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, a term that ended last July.

News of this new investigation comes more than a month after Kerik pleaded guilty to charges that he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in gifts while he was correction commissioner. The federal probe is not related to those charges.

Kerik's lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said, "I'm not going to justify a rumor like that with a comment.''