Flushing karaoke bars sue NYPD for $300M

Three Flushing karaoke bars have sued the NYPD for $300 million, claiming they were singled out during a bribery scandal involving officers from the 109th Precinct.

The three karaoke bars—Forbidden City, Home Run KTV and 360 Lounge—contend in their lawsuit filed in Brooklyn federal court that they were harassed by officers in the 109th Precinct as part of an NYPD effort to prevent them from cooperating with a criminal investigation of police officers.

The suit claims that as Asian businesses they were intimidated and subjected to racial discrimination. The suit also says that as a result of the harassment they suffered emotional distress and loss of income. The bars are seeking $300 million in damages.

In December 2015, Detective Yatyu Yam and Lt. Robert Sung were charged with accepting money from Flushing karaoke bar owners for allegedly tipping them off whenever narcotics or vice units were planning police raids, the Queens district attorney said.

Read more: http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2016/35/109lawsuit_2016_08_26_q.html