NCPD fires Police Officer Leonard Cagno, charged with stealing $200G from fellow cop

The Nassau County police officer accused of stealing $200,000 from a sick colleague — and spending the money on a new vehicle, gambling, dining and an OnlyFans account — has been fired, a department spokeswoman said.

Leonard Cagno, of Oakdale, charged with second-degree grand larceny by Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office last month, also owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to financial institutions, which say he failed to pay back loans and credit accounts, according to court records.

More than $338,000 in judgment liens have been filed by American Express, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and other institutions against Cagno, 38, between 2022 and this year.

Cagno, arrested on Sept. 17, pleaded not guilty to second-degree larceny at an arraignment in Suffolk County First District Court in Central Islip before acting County Judge Jennifer A. Henry, who ordered him released on his own recognizance because his charge is not bail eligible under New York State law.

Cagno was suspended by the Nassau County Police Department without pay last month after he was charged by Suffolk prosecutors. A spokeswoman said on Friday he is no longer employed by the department.

Cagno was represented at his arraignment by defense attorney Jonathan Manley, of Hauppauge, who did not return requests for comment Monday and last week. It is unclear from court records if Cagno has retained Manley or another attorney to represent him as the case proceeds. Newsday was unable to reach Cagno, who is scheduled to return to Suffolk court Oct. 22.

Cagno solicited $200,000 from a fellow Nassau police officer, who was recovering from a serious illness, between February 2024 and June 2024, Tierney’s office said in a statement last month. Cagno told the officer the money would be an investment in the defendant’s company, BW Media Consulting LLC.

Cagno instead used the money to pay for personal expenses, including house payments and credit card bills, as well as an OnlyFans subscription, gambling and dining, officials said.

"The allegations here represent a shocking abuse of the essential trust that exists between fellow police officers," Tierney said in a statement. "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 news release did not identify the officer prosecutors said was victimized, but the criminal allegations echo accusations in a lawsuit filed in May in Suffolk County Supreme Court by Nassau Police Officer Luiggi Bunay.

Bunay’s lawsuit said Cagno borrowed $200,000 in 2024 to make "operational improvements" to BW Media Consulting. The nature of the business is unclear from court documents, but state records say it is based in West Hempstead. Cagno is listed as the company’s registered agent.

"Cagno utilized the loan proceeds for personal reasons unrelated to the operations of BWMC," the lawsuit said. The complaint said BWMC is "an alter ego of Cagno" and "adheres to little to no corporate structure."

Cagno agreed to pay Bunay $20,000 a month plus $3,333 in interest over 12 months in a written loan agreement. Cagno failed to repay $160,000 of the principal and did not make any interest payments, according to the lawsuit.

"When Cagno approached plaintiff seeking the loan, plaintiff was recovering from extensive treatment and surgery," the complaint said. "As a fellow police officer, Cagno was aware that plaintiff was in a vulnerable position. Cagno was aware that plaintiff had a family, and at the time of the loan, Cagno knew that plaintiff and his wife were expecting their first child."

Attorney Jack Piana, of Hauppauge, who represents Bunay in the lawsuit, did not return calls from Newsday.