By Michele Evans / NYweeklyRecord.com / Date: 7/17/2026
Category: Government Accountability / Public Corruption / Investigations
NEW YORK CITY, NY – Federal agents executed a search warrant at former New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda’s Queens home on July 16 and seized a personal electronic device in Puerto Rico, escalating scrutiny that has followed questions about cash taken during enforcement against unlicensed cannabis shops.
City Hall confirmed that Miranda is the subject of a federal investigation. No arrest has been announced, no criminal charge has been filed, and the precise factual basis for the warrant remains unknown because the underlying materials have not been made public.
The new federal activity follows a 2024 Department of Investigation search at the sheriff’s Long Island City headquarters after a report of unvouchered cash. At the time, city officials said Miranda had alerted supervisors to money that was not properly accounted for, while union leaders and attorneys raised broader questions about how seized cash was handled.
Cash taken during enforcement is not a side issue. Once government agents seize money, every dollar enters a chain of public custody that should be documented, secured, vouched, and traceable. Weak controls can damage prosecutions, expose the city to legal claims, and destroy confidence that enforcement is being carried out lawfully.
The New York Post reported, citing law-enforcement sources, that the earlier inquiry included allegations of misappropriated funds. The paper also reported allegations that Miranda tried to obtain a city job for his wife, who had ties to a cannabis-disposal contractor and work as a consultant connected to Big Tobacco.
The Post further reported that investigators examined allegations that Miranda sought donations to a nonprofit in exchange for leniency on certain enforcement matters. These are reported allegations, not proven facts. Miranda has not been charged with wrongdoing, and the public warrant record has not established that any specific allegation was the basis for the July 16 searches.
Miranda did not respond to requests for comment cited in the reporting. The FBI, the Department of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York also declined to comment, according to reports. Their silence is common during an active investigation, but it leaves the public with serious unanswered questions.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani replaced Miranda by late May, and Edwin Raymond now serves as sheriff. A change in leadership does not erase the city’s obligation to determine what happened to seized money, whether evidence controls failed, and whether any public office was used to benefit private interests.
The next accounting must be specific. New Yorkers need to know how seized cash was logged, who had access, when discrepancies were identified, what audits were performed, whether compromised evidence affected enforcement cases, and what safeguards have since been installed.
A federal search is an investigative step, not a conviction. Miranda is entitled to the presumption of innocence, and allegations must be tested through evidence and lawful process. The city, however, has a separate duty right now: protect public records, preserve evidence, cooperate with investigators, and disclose every fact that can be released without compromising the case.
Public power includes custody over other people’s money. When that custody is questioned, transparency is not optional public relations. It is the minimum required to restore trust.
Sources
Gothamist: Federal Investigators Search Ex-NYC Sheriff Anthony Miranda’s Home, Device in Puerto Rico
ABC7 New York: Federal Law Enforcement Executes Search Warrant at Former NYC Sheriff’s Queens Home
New York Post: Federal Agents Search Home of Ex-NYC Sheriff Anthony Miranda
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