Former FDNY fire safety chief Brian Cordasco is planning to plead guilty in a deal with federal prosecutors for taking kickbacks to expedite safety inspections. Cordasco and a colleague were charged with running a scheme to obtain payments through shell companies to speed up inspections of fire suppression systems. The scheme involved receiving off-the-books payments for expediting inspections, bypassing lower-priority applicants. Cordasco intends to plead guilty to conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison. His colleague has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors are requesting a hearing date for Cordasco to enter the plea before a federal judge.
Former FDNY Fire Safety Chief Brian Cordasco is set to plead guilty in a deal with federal prosecutors after being charged with taking kickbacks to expedite safety inspections. Along with a colleague, Anthony Saccavino, Cordasco was accused of running a scheme to receive payments through shell companies to hasten inspections of fire suppression systems. The charges were filed by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who revealed that Cordasco is engaged in plea negotiations and intends to accept the plea offer.
The scheme involved working with a former FDNY inspector to funnel off-the-books payments totaling nearly $200,000 to Cordasco and Saccavino in exchange for expediting inspections by influencing lower-level subordinates. This illicit activity coincided with the Adams administration prioritizing real estate developers and corporations for inspections over other applicants such as public schools and hospitals.
Cordasco had criticized the preferential treatment given to certain entities on the inspection list, calling it unfair to those who had been waiting for inspections for months. One notable example was mega-developer SL Green, which received expedited inspection services for a high-end sushi restaurant in their One Vanderbilt tower. SL Green’s CEO, Mark Holliday, had raised significant campaign funds for Adams during his 2021 mayoral campaign.
In response to the indictment of Cordasco and Saccavino, Williams stated that the duo had utilized the City Hall or DMO list to conceal their corrupt actions of pressuring others to expedite inspections in exchange for bribes. Cordasco is expected to plead guilty to conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The plea deal includes the dismissal of four other charges that carry harsher penalties.
Cordasco’s attorney, David Stern, has not yet commented on the matter. Prosecutors have requested a hearing date for Cordasco to enter his plea before Manhattan Federal Judge Lewis Liman. It remains unclear whether Cordasco will cooperate with the ongoing investigation, as mentioned by Williams in a letter to the court.
Source: TheCity.NYC
