Nassau County Police Officer Leonard Cagno was fired from the Nassau County Police Department after being arrested on grand larceny charges last month, the NCPD said.
Cagno, 63, was arrested on Sept. 17 as he faced grand larceny charges for allegedly using a $200,000 business investment from a colleague for personal expenses, including purchasing a vehicle, paying off credit card debt, making payments toward his home, subscribing to OnlyFans, gambling and dining at restaurants, said the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
“The allegations here represent a shocking abuse of the essential trust that exists between fellow police officers,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “This defendant is alleged to have preyed upon that trust for his own financial gain, and in so doing violated one of the most important bonds in law enforcement.”
Tierney’s office said Cagno’s colleague had given him the money as an investment in his business, BW Media Consulting, LLC, between February 2024 and June 2024. Cagno had solicited the investment while the other officer was recovering from a serious illness, according to the Suffolk County DA.
“Records obtained as a result of the investigation indicate that within just two months of receiving the $200,000, Cagno allegedly spent the entirety of the investment,” Tierney’s office said in a statement.
A Nassau County Police Department spokesman said Cagno was no longer employed by the NCPD on Tuesday morning.
Cagno was arraigned before Acting County Court Judge Jennifer A. Henry. Henry ordered Cagno released on his own recognizance because his charge is considered not eligible for bail under current New York State law, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office in an online statement.
The former NCPD officer is scheduled to return to court on October 22.
The Suffolk County DA asks the public to call the office at (631) 853-4626 if anyone believes they have been victimized by Cagno.
