The former FDNY chief declares himself guilty of conspiring to receive bribes to accelerate buildings inspections

The former FDNY chief, Anthony Saccavino, declared himself guilty on Wednesday to conspire to accept thousands of dollars in bribes for accelerating inspections for companies with matters before the department.

Saccavino, 59, is accused of accelerating fire inspections For the owners of buildings who could pay in a scheme that saw him already his conspirators raise in almost $ 200,000 in illegal bribes.

“I accepted effective in exchange for preferential treatment for entities with businesses before the fire prevention office,” he admitted in the Federal Court of Manhattan on Wednesday morning.

Saccavino, ex Office ChiefAnd another boss, former deputy deputy director Brian Cordasco, were accused of crimes in September. Cordasco, 49, He declared himself guilty A month later, to the charges, he raised more than $ 5,000 in bribes between 2021 and 2023.

The fire prevention office, or BFP, is responsible for green lighting Fire safety installation and suppression systems in commercial and residential buildings, and without an inspection approved by the BFP, a building cannot be allowed.

TO Retired Fdny InspectorHenry Santiago, Jr., who also declared himself guilty of related positions, helped channel the bad profits obtained to them while intervening to accelerate inspections after the pandemic, when an accumulation of applications had accumulated, According to prosecutors.

Saccavino confessed only one of the five positions with which he is accused, which still denies charges of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud. Saccavino also denies that I have lied to the FBI agents in an interview.

Outside the courtroom, Saccavino’s lawyer, Joseph Caldarera, called his client, who was the first responder on September 11, “an American hero,” and said that the guilt request meant that Saccavino “put his Family first “, and adds that no” everything “everything” everything “in the accusation was correct.

Saccavino must pay the bribes of $ 57,000 of the scheme, according to their guilt agreement. Although the maximum sentence of his crime is five years after bars, the former boss agreed not to fight any prison time of less than 60 months.

This scheme occurred at the same time that the City Council of Mayor Adams allegedly worked to Fast FDNY inspections For real estate developers who were cozy with the administration, using the so -called “mayor of the operations list”, appointed before it fell under the scope of that official.

The unrelated Case against Adams He partially alleges bribes of the Turkish government associates to avoid fire security controls at the Manhattan Consulate of the country.

“Anthony Saccavino betrayed the city agency that he was chosen to lead when he repeatedly sell access to the services of the fire prevention office in a payment bribe plan to play,” said the US prosecutor. Uu. Danielle Sasson in a statement.

“This office will continue to ensure that city officials who place their own interests above those of the public are responsible.”

The United States assistant prosecutor Jessica Greenwood said that if he were tried for this position, prosecutors would have brought a group of tests that include cell phone records, internal Email of FDNY and financial records.