Two Former New York City Fire Chiefs Are Indicted for Corruption 

New York City: Two former chiefs of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) are being held on charges of accepting bribes totaling tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for giving specific builders and developers preferential treatment. 

According to allegations of bribery, corruption, and making false statements, Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco were taken into custody on Monday, according to the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s Office.

According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, the two and an unidentified third party are charged with soliciting and collecting bribe money from at least 2021 through 2023. Williams claimed that in exchange for “priority access to the Bureau of Fire Prevention,” payments totaling more than $190,000 were given.

VIP lanes for more bribes

The agency is in charge of overseeing the installation of suppression and fire protection systems across the city of New York and making sure that fire safety laws are followed. Williams clarified that buildings are meant to function on a first-come, first-served basis and that the bureau’s clearance is frequently necessary before they can be occupied or opened to the public.

“They allegedly created a VIP lane for faster service that could only be accessed with bribes,” Williams stated.

Saccavino and Cordasco were charged with conspiring to solicit a bribe, soliciting and receiving a bribe, honest services wire fraud, conspiring 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 in exchange for giving preferential treatment to specific people and companies, according to the indictment that the Associated Press was able to obtain. Further details regarding the prosecution of former FDNY chiefs Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco will soon be made public by federal authorities.

Keeping New York safe

In a statement, Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker said, “Every member of the FDNY takes a sworn oath to conduct themselves honestly and ethically.” Less than that won’t be accepted. The Department will fully cooperate with any current inquiries. Our first goal continues to be keeping New Yorkers safe.”

During the inquiry back in February, Saccavino and Cordasco gave voluntarily answered questions for the FBI. Federal prosecutors claim that throughout the interviews, each of them “repeatedly” made false assertions.

Mayor Eric Adams’s main legal advisor abruptly quit over the weekend. That occurred a few days after the head of the New York Police Department resigned due to his phone being confiscated by federal investigators.