With Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency bringing some much-needed, anti-corruption sunlight to the federal government’s personnel and practices, it’s important to do the same to the various city and state governments in which corruption is allegedly rife. Amongst those places is New York City, where, back in September, two high-ranking fire officials were caught and charged with serious bribery and corruption charges.
Announcing the arrests and charges, the Department of Justices said, in a press release, “Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANTHONY SACCAVINO and BRIAN CORDASCO, two former chiefs of the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”) Bureau of Fire Prevention (“BFP”) with bribery, corruption, and false statements offenses. SACCAVINO and CORDASCO were arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.”
Relying on the indictment itself to describe the charges, the DOJ noted that they abused their positions of trust with the public to solicit bribes, saying, “SACCAVINO and CORDASCO repeatedly abused their positions of trust as high-ranking officials in the FDNY from at least in or about 2021 through in or about 2023 by soliciting and accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments in exchange for providing preferential treatment to certain individuals and companies with matters pending before the BFP.”
Continuing, and noting how they managed to put themselves in a position where bribery could be solicited, it noted, “SACCAVINO and CORDASCO were at relevant times Chiefs of the BFP, which is responsible for overseeing and approving the installation of fire safety and suppression systems in commercial and residential buildings in New York City. The BFP ensures that these systems comply with fire safety regulations by, among other things, reviewing and approving design plans and conducting on-site inspections of installed systems. In many cases, BFP approvals are required before a building can be occupied or opened to the public.”
It added, on that point, “As Chiefs of Fire Prevention—and, ultimately, the top two ranking members of the BFP—during the relevant period, SACCAVINO and CORDASCO supervised the BFP personnel who conducted these plan reviews and inspections. For nearly two years, SACCAVINO and CORDASCO misused their authority as Chiefs for their private financial gain.”
Giving a specific example of a crime allegedly committed, and the individual involved in paying the bribe, the DOJ then said, “Specifically, SACCAVINO and CORDASCO solicited and accepted bribes from a retired FDNY firefighter, Henry Santiago Jr., who ran an unsanctioned “expediting” business (the “Santiago Company”). Acting in large part at the direction of SACCAVINO and CORDASCO, Santiago promised his customers that he could “expedite”—or fast-track—their plan reviews and inspection dates with the BFP, in exchange for payment. Santiago made this claim even though the BFP generally addressed applications on a first-come, first-served basis, and notwithstanding the significant wait times that BFP applicants generally faced during the relevant period.”
Continuing on that note, the DOJ described how their operation worked, generally, saying, “Behind the scenes, after a customer had hired the Santiago Company, SACCAVINO and CORDASCO directed BFP personnel to prioritize that customer’s plan review or inspection request in exchange for bribe payments from Santiago and/or the Santiago Company. In carrying out their official duties as Chiefs, SACCAVINO and CORDASCO justified the priority requests within the FDNY by lying to their BFP subordinates about the basis for their directions to prioritize certain projects over others. Santiago was paid by the customers of his company for this “expediting” and, in turn, Santiago made bribe payments to SACCAVINO and CORDASCO to obtain preferential treatment by the BFP for the Santiago Company’s customers.”
Then noting how much they raked in, it said, “Collectively, SACCAVINO, CORDASCO, and Santiago received more than $190,000 in payments in connection with this scheme.” They also tried to cover their tracks: “As part of the investigation into this bribery scheme, in or about February 2024, SACCAVINO and CORDASCO each participated in voluntary interviews with the FBI. During those interviews, SACCAVINO and CORDASCO each repeatedly made false statements in an effort to conceal their involvement in the bribery scheme.”
Commenting on the case and the significance of the alleged crimes for the statement, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said, “As alleged, Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco abused their authority as chiefs of the FDNY’s Bureau of Fire Prevention to line their pockets in a pay-to-play bribery scheme.”
He further noted, “By allegedly selling priority access to the BFP’s services, which are vital to preventing New York City businesses and homes from fire-related incidents, Saccavino and Cordasco undermined the public trust and put their own greed above the interests of the taxpayers they swore to serve. This Office and our partners at the DOI and FBI will continue to ensure that City officials who put themselves over the public interest will be held accountable.”
Also quoted was DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber, who 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.”
Also chiming in was FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy, who said: “The FDNY officials charged today allegedly took bribes to expedite the inspection process, undermining the fairness and integrity that are fundamental to our system. By doing so, they not only compromised public safety but also eroded the public’s trust in those who are sworn to protect us. Additionally, they damaged the trust of the overwhelming majority of New York City firefighters who are honest, hardworking public servants who dedicate their lives to protecting our communities, often putting themselves in harm’s way to ensure our safety. These men and women embody the highest standards of integrity and service. The actions of a few should not overshadow the dedication and bravery of the many who wear the badge with pride and honor.”
Watch New York Firefighters boo Letitia James here:
