An Orthodox businessman has been accused of paying corrupt New York police officers thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for providing a "private police force".

Jeremy Reichberg, who is at the centre of the scandal, is suspected of bribing officers with cash, Super Bowl tickets, free flights to Las Vegas on a private jet and prostitutes in exchange for numerous police services.

On Monday, Mr Reichberg was charged with fraud alongside Deputy Chief Michael Harrington and Deputy Inspector James Grant.

The case, led by US Attorney Preet Bharara, is part of a series of corruption investigations into the city's police and government.

NYPD sergeant David Villanueva, who works in the gun licence bureau, was charged with accepting money in exchange for quick access to gun licences from Alex Lichtenstein, a volunteer for the Jewish security patrol in Brooklyn.

Officer Richard Ochetal pleaded guilty to his role in that fraud and was said to have worked with prosecutors in the cases against Mr Grant, Mr Harrington and Mr Villanueva.