A second ex-FDNY chief copped a plea Wednesday in a nearly $200,000 pay-to-play bribery scheme that fast-tracked fire inspections across the Big Apple.
Anthony Saccovino, 59, copped to a bribery conspiracy charge in Manhattan federal court as part of a plea agreement that will see him cough up $57,000 — the tally of illicit payments he reaped in during the years-long caper.
The former head of the FDNY’s Bureau of Fire Prevention admitted he joined a crooked scheme with Brian Cordasco — another high-ranking fire prevention chief — to accept bribes from a retired smoke eater in exchange for expediting inspections.
“Anthony Saccavino betrayed the City agency he was chosen to lead by repeatedly selling access to the Bureau of Fire Prevention’s services in a pay-to-play bribery scheme,” said Manhattan US Attorney Danielle Sassoon in a statement.
The plea caps a probe that smoldered amid a spate of federal raids and actions targeting alleged corruption in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
Saccovino and Cordasco were accused by now-former US Attorney Damian Williams of creating a “VIP lane” for faster service by the fire inspection bureau that could only be accessed with bribes.
The pair had been raided by the feds in February 2024, before ultimately being indicted in September that year — roughly two weeks before Adams himself was slapped with unrelated bribery and corruption charges, which he denies.
The indictment against the chiefs accused them of joining former firefighter-turned-businessman Henry Santiago Jr.’s fire safety company as secret partners in 2021.
Santiago had promised his clients, ranging from high-end restaurants to hotels near JFK Airport, that he could expedite their fire inspections, prosecutors said.
Behind-the-scenes, Santiago secretly offered his public servant conspirators a “cut” if they would fast-track the permitting process, court papers state.
Over two years and the mayoralties of both Adams and Bill de Blasio, the scheme ultimately involved 30 different projects across the city and raked in $190,000 in bribes, prosecutors said.
Santiago personally delivered bribe payments to his partners during steakhouse dinners in Manhattan and even at the fire prevention bureau’s Brooklyn office, according to the feds.
He pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in September in exchange for his cooperation.
Cordasco also pleaded guilty just three weeks after his arrest.
Both Cordasco and Saccovino’s charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Cordasco’s sentencing is scheduled for March 24, while Saccovino will face the music May 14.
Saccovino’s attorney Joseph Caldarera noted his client has served the city since 1995 and is a 9/11 first responder.
“His dedication to the community has been unwavering,” Caldarera said in a statement. “Today, Mr. Saccavino made a difficult decision to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge, prioritizing his family’s well-being. He respects the judicial process and believes this course of action is in the best interest of his loved ones.”
The probe was conducted in part by the city’s Department of Investigation, where Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber hailed Saccovino’s plea.
“As today’s guilty plea demonstrates, public officials who compromise City processes with pay-to-play schemes undercut government’s ability to serve the public equitably, and will be held accountable,” she said in a statement.
— Additional reporting by Ben Kochman and Craig McCarthy