New York City, NY– A sergeant from the NYPD, earning a six-figure salary, has been arrested and placed on unpaid suspension following accusations of stealing $15 worth of cough syrup and drops from a Target store on Long Island in two different incidents.
Sgt. Rayna Madho, a 41-year-old veteran of the NYPD, has been part of different units since she joined the force in 2006. In fiscal 2024, she earned over $200,000, which includes approximately $55,000 in overtime.
In response to a rise in retail theft across the city, Madho reportedly did not scan all her items at a self-checkout, leading store staff to call the police.
Madho is charged with two counts of petty theft for incidents that occurred on November 24 and December 7 at the Target in Valley Stream, where she allegedly took Zarbee’s Cough Syrup and Ricola Cough Drops.
Her past assignments include the photo unit, detective squads in the 7th and 13th Precincts, and two commands in Brooklyn.
She faced five civil lawsuits, which collectively settled for $161,000. A lawsuit from 2019 claims that video evidence captured Madho dropping a pill bottle in a car during the arrest of motorist Abdul Pullium by her police partner in 2015.
A lawyer for Pulliam claimed that the video revealed officers placing the bottle. The lawsuit concluded with a settlement of $7,500, which is quite modest in comparison to other police settlements.
Madho became a member of the force in January 2006. In 2013, she earned a promotion to detective and sergeant, followed by her advancement to detective squad commander in 2021.
Madho, who is currently not receiving her salary, is set to appear in court on December 27 to determine her plea of guilty or not guilty.