Another corruption probe tied to building inspections is unfolding in New York City.
On Thursday morning, FBI agents searched the homes of two senior chiefs of the New York Fire Department, the New York Times reported. City investigators also searched their offices at the department’s Brooklyn headquarters.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention chiefs, Brian Cordasco and Anthony Saccavino, oversee safety inspections on building projects. Neither has been accused of wrongdoing, but the FDNY “proactively” placed both on modified duty. It was not immediately clear if either of the men were being represented by legal counsel.
The corruption investigation launched last summer around an allegation that the chiefs were paid nearly $100,000 each to either expedite or arrange building inspections. Upon learning of the allegations, Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh referred them to the Department of Investigation.
A retired firefighter, Henry Santiago Jr., allegedly paid $97,000 apiece to each of the chiefs, one being made to a limited liability company registered to Cordasco’s home address. Santiago told another chief about the payments, who then reported them to the Department of Investigation.
Kavanagh promoted Cordasco and Saccavino to lead the bureau a year ago. Their predecessors sued the commissioner over age discrimination. That lawsuit also claims Kavanagh retaliated against chief Joseph Jardin for failing to acquiesce to “corruption in favor of major real estate developers.”
It was the lawsuit that helped surface a list of priority projects that could be fast-tracked for inspection. The commissioner has denied any wrongdoing involving the list, which the lawsuit claims is used to help “friends” of City Hall.
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The searches don’t appear to be tied to the federal corruption investigation looking into Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign fundraising. That investigation is considering whether Adams pressured the FDNY to sign off on a high-rise consulate for the Turkish government, despite safety concerns. Adams has denied wrongdoing and has not been accused of improper conduct.
A spokesperson for City Hall denied any direct connection to the latest probe.
— Holden Walter-Warner