City Health Inspector Arrested for 'Shaking Down' Restaurant Owner
NEW YORK (AP) -- A city health inspector has been arrested after he was accused of shaking down a Brooklyn restaurant for $500 and a bottle of tequila.
Etibar Aliev was expected to be arraigned Friday in Brooklyn court on several charges, including receiving a bribe.
The city's Department of Investigation says the 55-year-old went to the restaurant Tuesday and suggested he could close it because of violations.
The DOI says that's when Aliev said he could help the restaurant avoid closing. He later arranged a meeting at the restaurant with the establishment's owner.
With DOI investigators monitoring the meeting, Aliev offered to help with future inspections and took the $500 bribe. The DOI said that on his way out of the restaurant Aliev asked for the bottle of booze.
DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn said Aliev ``brazenly abused his authority.''
Aliev, who joined the Health Department in July 2006, was fired.
Aliev faces up to seven years in prison if convicted. It wasn't immediately clear if he had a lawyer.
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