Former FDNY Chief Brian Cordasco pleads guilty to conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe
NEW YORK -- One of two former FDNY chiefs indicted on bribery and corruption charges took a plea deal Tuesday.
Brian Cordasco, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe in exchange for expediting certain reviews and inspections.
Cordasco was making more than $250,000 as second in command to Anthony Saccavino, working as a staff chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention. Both men retired from the FDNY earlier this year.
The BFP is responsible for fire safety approvals and inspections in commercial and residential buildings -- approvals that are often required before a building can be occupied or opened to the public.
Alleged scheme to speed up inspections during COVID
The 44-page indictment accuses the men of accepting more than $190,000 in bribes from 2021 to 2023, when they were BFP chiefs. It goes on to accuse them of lying to FBI investigators to cover up their alleged scheme.
According to the indictment, Cordasco and Saccovino solicited and accepted bribes from Henry Santiago Jr., a retired firefighter who ran an unsanctioned expediting business. It's alleged that at their direction, Santiago would tell clients he could fast-track plan reviews and inspection dates for money.
Prosecutors said the wait time for an inspection was dramatically longer during the COVID pandemic, when the alleged scheme took place.
"Beginning in 2021, the defendants took advantage of a backlog at the BFP in approvals and inspections - a backlog that was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. They saw an opportunity to put priority access to the BFP services up for sale," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said when he announced the indictment. "These defendants used their power as senior members of the FDNY to let some people to cut to the front of the line. They allegedly created a VIP lane for faster service that could be only accessed with bribes. That's classic pay-to-play corruption, and it will not be tolerated by this office."
Ironically, the indictment notes Cordasco sent an internal FDNY email in April 2022 complaining about City Hall asking the BFP to give priority to certain projects, calling it unfair to others waiting.
The alleged scheme involved about 30 different projects, like restaurants, bars, apartment buildings and hotels.
Authorities said they were alerted by the FDNY.
Former FDNY chiefs charged ahead of Adams indictment
Ten days after the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced the charges against Cordasco and Saccovino, the same office unveiled a five-count indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
In that indictment, prosecutors allege the mayor pressured the FDNY to approved the new Turkish consulate building, despite safety concerns. Adams pleaded not guilty to bribery, conspiracy and campaign finance charges.
The Cordasco and Saccavino indictment does not list the specific buildings, so it's unclear if the consulate was tied to their case.
Adams has pointed out the former chiefs' alleged crimes date back to his predecessor Bill de Blasio's administration.
"That started during the previous administration. Let's do that first. We acknowledge that. Second, when the Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh became aware of it, she self reported it. That's what administrations are supposed to do," the mayor said when they were indicted.
