Former FDNY chief pleads guilty in $190K bribery scheme: SDNY

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – Former FDNY chief Brian Cordasco pleaded guilty to bribery charges related to a $190,000 scheme that traded FDNY favors for cash , according to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.

The Staten Island man will cough up $57,000 as part of his plea deal, an estimate of what he took in bribes between 2021 and 2023, according to prosecutors. In exchange, Cordasco is accused of providing “preferential treatment,” like fast-tracking building projects through the fire safety inspection process, prosecutors said.

“By doing so, [Cordasco] not only compromised public safety but also eroded the public’s trust in those who are sworn to protect us,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Dennehy said in a statement.

Cordasco’s co-defendant, Anthony Saccavino, has not pleaded guilty and is expected back in court in December. Cordasco will be sentenced on Feb. 19, 2025.

The two are accused of taking bribes from a former FDNY firefighter who ran an “expediting business,” promising customers faster inspection times, and then paying off Cordasco and Saccavino to make it happen, according to prosecutors.

Cordasco and Saccavino would then lie to their team to get the project prioritized and pocket a share of the money, prosecutors contend.

Altogether, the three made over $190,000 in the scheme.

Cordasco and Saccavino’s houses were raided in February. Since then, a slew of city officials have become the target of federal investigations, including New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Banks and his wife Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who have both stepped down.

Banks is not alone in his resignation. In July, FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh stepped down from her post. More recently, Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan, Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban have resigned.

Mayor Eric Adams faces historic criminal charges including bribery, which he has repeatedly said are unfounded.

Anyone with information related to bribery, fraud, or any other illegal conduct by FDNY or BFP employees is encouraged to contact squad6complaint@doi.nyc.gov or (212) 825-2402. People involved in such conduct, are encouraged to self-disclose through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered New York City since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here .

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