Bernard Kerik Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
Here’s a look at the life of former New York police commissioner, Bernard Kerik, who served time in prison for tax fraud and lying to officials.
Personal
Birth date: September 4, 1955
Birth place: Newark, New Jersey
Birth name: Bernard Bailey Kerik
Father: Donald Kerik, a machinist
Mother: Patricia Bailey
Marriages: Hala (Matli) Kerik (1998-present); Jacqueline Llerena (1983-1992, divorced); Linda Hales (1978-1983, divorced)
Children: with Hala Kerik: Celine, Angelina; with Jacqueline Llerena: Joseph
Education: Empire State College, State University of New York, B.S., 2002
Military service: US Army, 1974-1977
Other Facts
His mother abandoned the family when Kerik was a child. Years later, Kerik found out she was a prostitute who may have been murdered.
Served as a security chief in a Saudi royal hospital.
Has a black belt in karate.
Timeline
1986 – Joins the New York Police Department.
1993 – Serves as driver and bodyguard to Rudy Giuliani during Giuliani’s 1993 mayoral campaign.
1994 – Joins the New York City Department of Corrections.
1998-2000 – Commissioner of the New York City Department of Corrections.
August 21, 2000-December 31, 2001 – Serves as police commissioner of New York City.
2002 – Joins the board of directors of Taser International.
2003 – At the request of President George W. Bush, travels to Iraq to help train the new Iraqi police force.
December 3, 2004 – Bush nominates Kerik to be the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
December 10, 2004 – Withdraws his nomination due to potential tax violations and a former household employee’s questionable immigration status.
December 22, 2004 – Announces his resignation as senior vice president at Giuliani Partners.
2005 – Establishes the Kerik Group LLC, a crisis and risk management consulting company.
June 30, 2006 – Pleads guilty to misdemeanor ethics violations related to gifts he received while leading the corrections department. Kerik is fined for accepting $165,000 in gifts from a construction firm.
November 9, 2007 – Kerik is indicted on federal corruption charges. He pleads not guilty to 16 counts, including conspiracy, tax fraud and making false statements. He is released on $500,000 bail and surrenders his passport and firearm.
December 29, 2008 – Pleads not guilty to a revised indictment, which includes two new counts of aiding the filing of false returns and a charge involving making false statements while applying for a housing loan.
May 26, 2009 – Kerik is indicted on charges of making false statements to White House officials vetting him for the DHS role.
October 20, 2009 – Kerik is sent to jail after being found in contempt for leaking confidential evidence.
November 5, 2009 – Pleads guilty to eight felony charges, including tax fraud and lying to White House officials.
February 18, 2010 – Is sentenced to 48 months in prison.
October 2012 – Testifies in the perjury trial of Frank and Peter DiTommaso, contractors accused of lying during a 2006 grand jury investigation regarding renovation work done on Kerik’s apartment. Frank DiTommaso is later found not guilty while his brother is found guilty of two counts of perjury.
May 28, 2013 – Is released from federal prison for good behavior after serving three years.
March 2015 – Kerik’s memoir, “From Jailer to Jailed: My Journey from Correction and Police Commissioner to Inmate #84888-054,” is published.
2019 – Kerik works with the legal team defending Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL charged with killing a prisoner in Iraq.
February 18, 2020 – Pardoned by President Donald Trump.
November 8, 2021 – The House select committee investigating the deadly January 6 riot on Capitol Hill announces it is issuing additional subpoenas to top Trump campaign associates, including one to Kerik.
December 31, 2021 – Timothy Parlatore, Kerik’s attorney, provides a letter and documents pertaining to election fraud claims to the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Hill riots. According to the letter, Kerik agrees to a voluntary interview with the committee.
January 13, 2022 – Kerik meets with the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Hill riot for eight hours.
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