Alan Chau

Lawsuits

Named in 18 known lawsuits, $412,000 total settlements.

Grieves, Robert vs City of Ny, et al.
Case # 522776/2021, Supreme Court - Kings, October 18, 2021, ended February 21, 2023
$32,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On August 30, 2019, Plaintiff was attending an outdoor party when NYPD Officer Alan Chau wrongfully claimed that liquor was illegally being sold at the party. Chau arrested Plaintiff without probable cause and using excessive force. Chau thereafter refused to provide Plaintiff with medical treatment. Plaintiff was detained as a result of Chau's actions, but prosecutors declined to prosecute.

Durden, Shaqueena, et Al vs City of Ny, et al.
Case # 21CV01539, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, June 22, 2021, ended June 27, 2023
$40,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On or about March 24, 2018 at approximately 1 a.m. Plaintiffs were lawfully at 243 East 51st Street New York when Defendant Officers chased and assaulted, and falsely arrested plaintiffs without probable cause or reason to use force. Plaintiffs were injured in the arrest, brought to the police precinct and denied medical assistance. Defendants were then brought to Central Booking and arraigned on false charges. The charges were eventually dismissed and sealed.

Rhem, Alan vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 527758/2019, Supreme Court - Kings, March 25, 2020, ended September 14, 2020
$22,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On or about July 21st, 2019, Plaintiff was lawfully present at a party in Brooklyn when he was unlawfully arrested and handcuffed by SERGEANT Alan Chau and PO "John Doe". Plaintiff was searched but the search failed to uncover any contraband or evidence of a crime. Plaintiff was then transported to the 67th Precinct for processing. Plaintiff was then transported to King's County Central Booking. Defendant PO's attempted to instigate a criminal prosecution against Plaintiff even though he had not committed any crime. After 24 hours in NYPD custody, Plaintiff was arraigned, where all charges against him were dismissed.

Downer, Harold vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 19CV05100, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, December 23, 2019, ended October 29, 2020
$10,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On December 16, 2017, Plaintiff Downer was falsely arrested by police officers Aurel Hoxha and Alan Chao. Although he was never observed to be engaged in criminal acts, he was accused of owning a nightclub for the purpose of engaging in unlawful conduct. Downer was actually the security guard and manager of a legitimate nightclub which charged an entrance fee, turned away those in possession of marijuana, and actively kicked out smokers from the premises. Downer was imprisoned for 24 hours and later prosecuted for Second Degree Criminal Mischief, but his case was dismissed because the officers lacked probable cause. This action is part of a repeating pattern of police officers targeting employees of bars and ni...

Alcine, Joseph vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 523716/2019, Supreme Court - Kings, November 7, 2019, ended December 13, 2024
$12,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On or about August 4, 2018, Joseph Alcine was unlawfully detained, arrested, and imprisoned by police officers Christine Roman, Brandon Patane, and Sergeant Alan Chau in New York County. The arrest was conducted without a warrant, probable cause, or any legal justification. Alcine was subsequently held until August 5, 2018, and was subjected to prosecution under arrest number K18646160. The plaintiff alleges that the arrest and imprisonment were malicious and that he suffered severe physical injuries, emotional distress, and reputational damage due to the misconduct. Additionally, Alcine claims that the officers acted with reckless disregard for his rights and that their actions were part of a broader pattern o...

Mcallister, Jaire, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 19CV04977, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, September 6, 2019, ended October 16, 2019
Zero Disposition
Complaint
Description: On or about September 5, 2016, the defendant P.O.s approached plaintiffs without justification and improperly searched them without any reasonable suspicion. Then the P.O.s assaulted plaintiffs with unreasonable force (and/or stood by and failed to intervene during the attack), handcuffed plaintiffs, and brought them to the 67th Precinct. The P.O.s falsely claimed that they observed plaintiffs committing various crimes and drafted arrest paperwork with the false allegations. The plaintiffs were transported to Kings Central Booking and remained in custody there. The District Attorney initiated criminal proceedings against plaintiffs based on the false evidence given by the P.O.s. All charges against plaintiffs...

Andrews, Darius, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 518093/2019, Supreme Court - Kings, August 16, 2019
Complaint
Description: On or about July 6, 2018, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Plaintiffs Darius Andrews and Pearla Lyons-Person were involved in an incident at 198 East 52nd Street, Brooklyn, New York. Sergeant Alan Chau, Officer Kenneth Triolo, and other NYPD officers, including several John Does and Jane Doe, allegedly entered private property without a warrant, forcibly removed Ms. Lyons-Person, and illegally entered a garage where multiple individuals, including Mr. Andrews, were present. The officers accused the plaintiffs of selling alcohol, which the plaintiffs denied. During the encounter, the plaintiffs were allegedly subjected to excessive force, including being handcuffed too tightly, despite their complaints. They were de...

Demas, Michael, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 514362/2019, Supreme Court - Kings, July 3, 2019
Complaint
Description: On or about August 31, 2018, and extending into the early morning of September 1, 2018, members of the NYPD, led by Sergeant Alan Chau, arrived at a Pan Yard event held by the Heart of Steel Band in Brooklyn, New York. The plaintiffs, including Michael Demas, Catherine Nunes, Gwynn Glasgow, and others, were present at this event, which was organized as part of the J'Ouvert celebrations. Despite the event being a free community gathering with no profit or sale of alcohol, Sergeant Chau instructed officers, including Officers Fernandez and Vanbrakle, to arrest all plaintiffs, accusing them of operating an unlicensed bottle club under ABC law 64-b. During the arrests, Officer Fernandez and others used excessive f...

Babb, Frances E. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 508225/2019, Supreme Court - Kings, May 31, 2019
Complaint
Description: On or about January 14th, 2018, Plaintiff was asleep in her apartment when PO Alan Chau, PO Yannifer Sandy, and PO "Jane Doe" entered the premises without permission. Plaintiff went downstairs to see her grandson being arrested by attendant officers. PO Chau then informed Plaintiff that she was under arrest after finding marijuana on the floor of the residence. Plaintiff was escorted upstairs to her bedroom to change clothes by PO Sandy. After Plaintiff changed clothes, PO Sandy violently grabbed her wrist and pulled at her arm in an attempt to place handcuffs on her. As a result of the excessive force used by PO Sandy, Plaintiff had to undergo shoulder surgery in December 2018. Plaintiff was taken into NYPD cu...

Morris, Kenyatta, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 503844/2019, Supreme Court - Kings, February 25, 2019, ended June 4, 2025
$175,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On or about Friday March 24, 2018 at approximately 1:00 a.m. Plaintiff, KENYATTA MORRIS was inside the basement of the premises 243 East 513t Street in Brooklyn when Sargent ALAN CHAU placed both of his hands on plaintiff and grabbed her by the shirt, arm and hair, violently swung her around pulling and dragging her while she was holding the glass in her hand. Plaintiff was was placed in handcuffs and arrested by NYPD officers including Sargent ALAN CHAU police officer MIGUEL VANBRANKLE and held in front of 243 East 51st Street New York for approximately thirty (30) minutes, before she was placed in a NYPD van and driven to the 673 precinct where she photographed, fingerprinted, placed in a holding cell until...

Bellony, Bernard vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 18CV05127, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, September 20, 2018, ended June 18, 2019
Zero Disposition
Complaint
Description: On June 13, 2016, a shooting took place at a playground in Brooklyn. Plaintiff had nothing to do with this. Nonetheless, defendant police officers manufactured evidence and altered witness testimony causing plaintiff to be falsely arrested and incarcerated for one year, two months and 23 days. Additionally, plaintiff was libeled and defamed in newspapers citywide. All charges against plaintiff were dismissed on January 8, 2018.

Theodat, Jeffrey vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 518766/2018, Supreme Court - Kings, September 20, 2018
Complaint
Description: On or about July 22nd, 2017, Plaintiff was lawfully inside the retail business they own in Brooklyn, when PO Mohammed Rahim, PO Delio Fernandez and SGT Alan Chau entered the premises. PO's then searched the premises and the Plaintiff, even though he had not committed any crime nor was he engaged in any suspicious activity. Plaintiff was then violently seized, had his arm twisted painfully behind his back, and was handcuffed by attendant officers. Plaintiff was then placed under arrest and transported to the local precinct for processing. PO Rahim, PO Delio, and SGT Chau then provided false and misleading information to the DA's office with the intent of instigating the commencement of the criminal prosecution o...

Watson, Patricia vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 515244/2018, Supreme Court - Kings, August 1, 2018
Complaint
Description: On September 29, 2017, Defendant officers Chau and Viti, as well as 10 other unidentified defendant officers, entered the Little Ochie Restaurant, for which Plaintiff Watson is a supporter, and demanded that the restaurant be closed. The Defendant officers approached Plaintiff and told her that there was no valid liquor license for the premises. The liquor license was in plain view and publicly displayed. The Defendant officers confined Plaintiff Watson to a seat in the restaurant for over 5 minutes, detained her against her will in the restaurant for approximately 1 hour, arrested her, paraded her in the restaurant and outside in handcuffs, placed her in a police vehicle, and transported her to the precinct. A...

Jean, Andre vs City of New York et al.
Case # 504931/2018, Supreme Court - Kings, July 2, 2018, ended February 14, 2019
$20,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On December 9, 2016, at approximately 8:30 p.m., plaintiff was law inside of a 99 cent store located at 1401 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, New York when the defendant New York City Police Officers subjected plaintiff to an unlawful search, seizure, false imprisonment, and false arrest. In the store, plaintiff was asked to produce his ID, which he did. Afterwards, the police arrested him without probable cause or legal justification. At arraignment, plaintiff was charged with Disorderly Conduct and violating New York City Administrative Code 20-360 – Unlicensed Cabaret. On January 26, 2017, all charges against plaintiff were dismissed by motion of the District Attorney and sealed in their entirety. Plaintiff also a...

Jackson, Curtis, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 18CV02214, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, April 20, 2018, ended October 12, 2021
$100,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Defendant Officers entered Plaintiffs' home without a warrant, arrested them, took them to a precinct, and charged them with various crimes that were later dismissed.

Marsh, Steven G. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 18CV01883, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, April 9, 2018, ended August 19, 2022
Zero Disposition
Complaint
Description: Defendant Officers falsely arrest Plaintiff at a community center for Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, Possession of Forged Instrument in the Third Degree, Operating an Unlicensed Bottle Club, Storing Alcohol Without A Permit and Criminal Nuisance in the Second Degree. All charges were later dismissed.

Stewart, Kendall, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 501784/2018, Supreme Court - Kings, January 29, 2018, ended January 31, 2022
Administrative Closing
Complaint
Description: On or about August 19, 2016, defendant Officers from the 67th precinct shut down Plaintiff's scheduled event at his Caribbean cafe, issuing 14 tickets, ignoring the valid liquor license, and claiming that the visit was part of a random business inspection. Two weeks prior, defendant Lt. Lombardi and other representatives of the 67th precinct had contacted Plaintiff demanding that he cancel his cultural event at his cafe, and did not provide justification when Plaintiff asked why. After the shut down, Plaintiff met with defendant Community Affairs Officer Nelson who told him to cancel all future events scheduled, including his most profitable weekend event, as the NYPD did not want any crimes to occur. Officer N...

Stewart, Omar vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 501781/2018, Supreme Court - Kings, January 29, 2018
Complaint
Description: On January 28, 2017, the plaintiff was lawfully working at a Caribbean restaurant and event space. At that time, defendant-NYPD police officers, including Lt. Chou and Police Officer Aurel Hoxha (Shield No. 13176), entered the premises. The defendants were aware that plaintiff was neither the owner of the premises nor listed on the liquor licenses. Nevertheless, defendant-officers approached the plaintiff, interrogated him, prevented him from leaving or alerting the business owner, and subsequently grabbed, shoved, and searched the plaintiff against his will. The defendants proceeded to handcuff the plaintiff outside of the premises, where he was held for thirty (30) minutes in view of patrons or other persons...