Two ex-fire chiefs in New York City charged in corruption scandal

Two FDNY chiefs who had been in charge of fire safety are accused of taking part in a scheme involving almost $200,000 in bribes to expedite clients’ inspections, exploiting a pent-up backlog created during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charges against the now-former chiefs, Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco, of the FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention, include bribery, corruption and making false statements during interviews with investigating FBI agents, according to Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

"These defendants used their power as senior members of the FDNY to let some people cut to the front of the line. They allegedly created a VIP lane for faster services that could only be accessed with bribes. That's classic pay-to-play corruption," Williams said at a news conference on Monday morning.

The men are accused of soliciting and accepting bribes between 2021 and 2023 from a retired firefighter who had an expediting business, promising to fast-track applications for buildings with the FDNY’s fire safety bureau. After receiving the bribes, the men would order subordinates to prioritize projects for which bribes had been paid, according to the indictment. Inspections are generally supposed to be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The alleged scheme came to light in spring 2023 through a tip to the FDNY, said Jocelyn E. Strauber, commissioner of the city’s Department of Investigation, to which the tip was forwarded. The FDNY has since reinspected the buildings, she said.

Williams declined to say whether the allegations are related to another investigation by the office — into whether New York City Mayor Eric Adams or his circle took illegal donations, flight upgrades or both from the Turkish government in exchange for help issuing a building safety certification to a Turkish building in Manhattan that the FDNY had decided was too unsafe to open.

Amaris Cockfield, a spokesperson for Adams, said in a statement: "As we said before, and reiterate now, there is no indication that the alleged scheme involved anyone here at City Hall."

She said the employees involved in the case were put on modified duty in February.

At an arraignment on Monday afternoon in front of Judge Lewis Liman, both men pleaded not guilty.

Each had been arrested at his home, Saccavino in Manhattan and Cordasco on Staten Island, and they were freed on $250,000 personal recognizance bonds.

"We have a case to fight," Saccavino's lawyer Joseph Caldarera said. "We understand the serious allegations. Is this connected to City Hall? Is this connected to Eric Adams? I'm sure that's the next big question at this time. We don't know."

Cordasco's attorney also said that they would fight.

"He's been a dedicated firefighter with two decades of service," lawyer Frank Rothman said, adding that his client served "fearlessly and faithfully."

"This is indeed a sad day," Rothman said.

According to the indictment, Cordasco would send internal messages within the FDNY, as well as to friends, assailing City Hall for its alleged practice of maintaining its own list of projects to jump the inspection line, due to political connections or priorities.

Even as he was himself allegedly giving preferential treatment to projects, he wrote that it is "extremely unfair to the applicants who have been waiting at least 8 weeks for their inspection ... why certain projects are advanced while others need to be canceled and pushed back?"

Adams, in the past, has denied the list exists.

At an unrelated news conference at City Hall on Monday, Adams’ deputy mayor for operations, Meera Joshi, again denied there was a list, referred to in the indictment as what the FDNY called a "DMO list," for deputy mayor for operations.

"There is not a DMO list. There is a system that was set up by this administration to systemically address what had been a long-standing backlog," she said

The judge set a Dec. 17 date for the men to return to court.

Each made over $250,000 a year in their FDNY jobs, the indictment says. The bureau the men helped lead is in charge of regulating the installation of fire suppression and safety systems and making sure fire safety regulations are followed. Henry Santiago Jr., the ex-firefighter with the expediting business, has since pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the investigation, Williams said.

In a news release, FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said: "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."