BERNARD KERIK DEAD AT 69
HAD HE NOT WOUND UP IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRIMINAL ALL HIS LIFE
BY SNN.BZ STAFF
NEW YORK — Bernard Kerik, the former New York City Police Commissioner who rose to national prominence for his role during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, only to later fall from grace in a spectacular unraveling marked by corruption, tax fraud, and a prison sentence, died on Thursday at the age of 69. The New York Police Department confirmed his death, with FBI Director Kash Patel citing a “private battle with illness” as the cause.
Kerik experienced a great fall from grace and never got up again.
Kerik’s story is one of ambition, hubris, and betrayal, a cautionary tale of a man who leveraged a national tragedy for personal gain, only to see his legacy collapse under the weight of his own misdeeds. Once dubbed “America’s Cop” for his leadership in the chaotic aftermath of 9/11, Kerik’s career was derailed by a series of ethical lapses and criminal acts that exposed a stark contrast between his public image and private conduct.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1955, Kerik grew up in Paterson and dropped out of high school before earning a GED and enlisting in the U.S. Army. After serving as a military policeman in South Korea, where he fathered and later abandoned a daughter, he returned to the United States, working in private security in Saudi Arabia before joining the NYPD in 1986. His rise through the ranks was swift, marked by 30 NYPD medals, including the Medal for Valor for his role in a gun battle. By 1998, he was appointed commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction, and in 2000, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani named him the city’s 40th police commissioner.
Kerik’s tenure as commissioner placed him at the helm of the NYPD during the 9/11 attacks, where he was often seen at Giuliani’s side, coordinating the city’s response. His presence at Ground Zero and his steady demeanor earned him widespread praise, including an honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II. In his 2015 memoir, From Jailer to Jailed, Kerik described himself as “America’s Top Cop,” a moniker he embraced as he sought to capitalize on his 9/11 role. Critics, however, later accused him of exploiting the tragedy for self-aggrandizement, using his proximity to the crisis to bolster his public profile.
“Kerik was quick to position himself as a hero of 9/11, but his actions afterward showed a man more interested in personal gain than public service,” said Russ Buettner, a New York Times reporter who covered Kerik’s downfall. One glaring example was his misuse of a Battery Park City apartment, intended for exhausted first responders recovering from Ground Zero, to conduct simultaneous extramarital affairs—a scandal that became emblematic of his ethical lapses.
Kerik’s ambitions extended beyond New York. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed him to help rebuild Iraq’s police force as interim interior minister of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority. The following year, Bush nominated him to lead the Department of Homeland Security, a role that would have cemented his status as a national figure. But the nomination unraveled when Kerik abruptly withdrew, citing the employment of an undocumented immigrant as a nanny—a revelation that sparked state and federal investigations.
What followed was a cascade of allegations that exposed Kerik’s web of corruption. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor ethics violations in Bronx Supreme Court, paying $221,000 in fines for accepting improper gifts. But the scrutiny deepened. In 2009, Kerik pleaded guilty to eight federal felony charges, including tax fraud, lying to White House officials during his Homeland Security vetting, and failing to report income and loans. Prosecutors described his actions as a betrayal of public trust, noting that he “shamelessly exploited the most horrific civilian tragedy in this nation’s history” for personal profit.
At his sentencing in 2010, Federal Judge Stephen C. Robinson imposed a four-year prison term, exceeding the 27-to-33-month recommendation, citing the “immeasurable” damage caused by Kerik’s betrayal. “With great power comes great responsibility and great consequences,” Robinson said. Kerik, standing beside his wife and son, offered a public apology: “I’d like to apologize to the American people.” He served nearly three years before being released to home confinement in 2013.
Even after his conviction, Kerik sought to rehabilitate his image. He became a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform, testifying before Congress and at the White House. In 2020, President Donald J. Trump pardoned him, a move that Kerik, a frequent Fox News guest and Trump ally, said left him in tears of gratitude. He later worked with Giuliani to investigate unfounded claims of election fraud following Trump’s 2020 election loss, drawing further scrutiny from the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots.
Kerik’s death has elicited mixed reactions. To some, he remains a symbol of resilience, a leader who guided the NYPD through one of America’s darkest hours. “He was at my side within 20 minutes of the attack and never left,” Giuliani said in a tearful tribute. Others, however, see a man whose legacy is indelibly stained by greed and deceit. Posts on X reflect this divide, with some hailing him as a “9/11 hero” while others condemn him as a “disgraced felon” who abused his authority.
As New Yorkers reflect on Kerik’s life, his story serves as a sobering reminder that heroism in crisis does not absolve personal failings. From the ashes of 9/11, Kerik built a fleeting empire of acclaim, only to see it crumble under the weight of his own choices. His death closes a chapter on a polarizing figure whose rise and fall mirrored the complexities of a city—and a nation—grappling with tragedy and its aftermath.
