2 former FDNY chiefs indicted in alleged bribery, corruption scheme
NEW YORK - Two former FDNY chiefs have been indicted on bribery and corruption charges for allegedly providing preferential treatment to people and companies that needed fire safety approvals and inspections from the FDNY.
Anthony Saccavino, 59, and Brian Cordasco, 49, worked at the Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP). They face a host of charges, including conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe, solicitation and receipt of a bribe, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and making false statements in connection with a scheme to solicit and accept tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments.
They then allegedly made false statements about their involvement in the scheme, prosecutors said.
Both pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday.
They retired from the FDNY earlier this year.
"Every member of the FDNY takes a sworn oath to conduct themselves honestly and ethically. Anything less will not be tolerated. The Department will fully cooperate with any ongoing investigations. Keeping New Yorkers safe remains our top priority," Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker said.
According to the indictment, they allegedly accepted more than $190,000 in bribes between 2021 and 2023 when they were BFP chiefs. The FDNY's BFP division ensures fire safety and suppression systems in residential and commercial building across New York City comply with fire safety regulations.
The indictment states "for nearly two years, Saccavino and Cordasco misused this authority for their own financial gain."
The indictment alleges they solicited, and accepted, bribes from Henry Santiago, Jr., a retired firefighter who worked as an expediter for companies and people awaiting inspection of the buildings by the BFP. In exchange, they used their positions to make sure the expediter's clients plans and inspections were prioritized, according to the indictment.
The indictment goes on to accuse both men of lying to the FBI in February in and effort to cover up their scheme.
The typical wait time for an inspection was dramatically longer during the COVID pandemic, when prosecutors allege the bribery scheme took place. According to the indictment, requests for inspection and review are typically handled by the BFP in a first-come, first served fashion, but an expediter could try to exert influence to have their reviews bumped up in the list. The indictment alleges Saccavino and Cordasco became silent partners with the expediter.
"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. "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."
The indictment points out, ironically, Crodasco sent an internal FDNY email in April, 2022 complaining about City Hall asking the BFP to give priority to certain projects, calling it "extremely unfair to the applicants who have been waiting at least eight weeks for their inspection." The indictment also alleges the men would hide what they were doing from subordinates by blaming prioritized inspections for Santiago's clients on the mayor's office.
In February, 2024, the two gave voluntary interviews to the FBI, and are accused of making false statements.
"They not only compromise public safety, but also eroded the public's trust in those who are sworn to protect us," Assistant Director of the New York FBI office James Dennehy said.
Authorities said they were alerted to the alleged scheme by the FDNY.
The indictments mark the most recent accusations against high ranking New York City officials, and while not tied to the ongoing federal investigations into Mayor Eric Adams' inner circle, the news deals another blow to city leadership.
"The City Hall List"
In addition, the indictment mentions "The City Hall List."
"Certain City Hall officials would at times ask the BFP to give priority treatment to certain projects, and the BFP then often prioritized those requests," prosecutors wrote in the indictment. A separate FDNY division called the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, or IGA, kept a list of projects that were pending review by the BFP, and also tracked related inquiries about those reviews from City Hall operatives - such as the Deputy Mayor's Office.
The indictment alleges that, in certain case, Saccavino and Cordasco would occasionally refer outfits on the City Hall list to Santiago, suggesting they hire that firm to help their projects move forward - essentially arranging a conduit of money that would ultimately land in their own pockets.
"By paying bribes to Saccavino and Cordasco, who would then help Santiago's clients skip to the front of the line. Once a customer retained and agreed to pay Santiago's company for fast tracking, Santiago secretly coordinated with Saccavino and Cordasco, who in turn allegedly used their supervisory authority to direct BFP personnel to prioritize that customer's matters, even though the system, again, was supposed to be first come, first served," Williams said.
Saccavino joined the FDNY in 1995 and ultimately became chief of the BFP, the highest-ranking member of that division, with a salary of $263,478. Saccavino retired in March. Cordasco joined the FDNY in 2023, and ultimately became Saccavino's second-in-command at the BFP, with a salary of $257,296. He retired in June.
Mayor Adams pushes back
Mayor Eric Adams blamed his predecessor Bill de Blasio after word of the indictments broke. It comes as the Adams administration is caught in the crosshairs of four separate federal probes.
Adams says you can't pin this one on him.
"The action initiated under another administration," Adams said.
The alleged scheme started in 2020, when de Blasio was mayor. But it was allegedly still going on after Adams took the oath of office.
"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," Adams said.
The questions came at a press conference where Adams and his administration were taking a victory lap, releasing the mayor's annual management report that shows a drop in crime, 18,000 illegal guns confiscated, cleaner streets, more trees planted and more public restrooms.
In the past, Adams released the report without holding a press conference. So why did he hold one this year?
"I want to write my own story, and this story is how great we have done, this administration. Around housing, around safety, around employment, around some of the other key indicators," Adams said.
