Two retired FDNY chiefs, Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco, were indicted on bribery and corruption charges for allegedly providing preferential treatment in fire safety plan reviews and inspections on Monday, September 16th. The indictment alleges they accepted over $190,000 in bribes between 2021 and 2023 during their tenure at the Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP).
Federal investigators arrested both men at their homes following a year-long investigation. The FBI had previously searched their homes and FDNY offices, leading to the chiefs being placed on modified duty. The bribery scheme involved soliciting payments from a retired firefighter who worked as an expediter. In exchange, Saccavino and Cordasco used their positions to expedite fire safety inspections for the expediter’s clients.
According to the indictment, the chiefs became “silent partners” with the expediter, ensuring that companies and individuals who paid bribes received priority treatment. Typically, the BFP operates on a first-come, first-served basis for inspections, but during the pandemic, the wait time was significantly longer. The chiefs’ actions allegedly bypassed this system, giving an unfair advantage to those willing to pay for expedited services.
The scandal also touches on a separate issue known as the “City Hall List,” where certain building projects were prioritized at the request of city officials. Saccavino and Cordasco allegedly referred projects on this list to their associated expediter, creating a conduit for illegal payments.
New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber, in a press release, said: “When senior City officials provide special treatment in exchange for money, they abuse their authority, fail to serve New Yorkers fairly and equitably, and undermine confidence in the integrity of City government. As alleged, two senior leaders of the Bureau of Fire Prevention, responsible for fire safety approvals and inspections, and facing a significant backlog, fast-tracked dozens of projects in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments. I thank the FDNY for referring allegations of possible criminal conduct to DOI, prompting this investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI for working with us to pursue this important case.”
This investigation follows concerns around illegal foreign money linked to New York City’s political fundraising, particularly involving Mayor Eric Adams’s campaign.
In response, Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker stated, “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.” Both Saccavino and Cordasco retired earlier this year amidst growing scrutiny of their actions.
