New York City’s Fire Department confirmed two chiefs are being investigated in connection with a corruption probe, after news reports emerged Thursday that the FBI had raided the men’s homes and city investigators searched their FDNY offices.
The two chiefs, Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco, have not been accused of wrongdoing, according to the New York Times, which first reported on the raids. The paper said the investigation was in connection to a scheme in which the men were paid $100,000 to speed up safety inspections.
Responding to the Times’ story, an FDNY spokesperson said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh alerted the city’s Department of Investigation last fall after she heard allegations about two employees.
“The FDNY’s first priority is always keeping New Yorkers safe, and we expect every member of the department to act appropriately,” said Amanda Farinacci, a spokesperson for the FDNY, in a statement. “As soon as Commissioner Kavanagh was alerted to these allegations last fall, she immediately referred them to [Department of Investigation] to investigate them.”
The two employees at the center of the investigation have been placed on modified duty, according to the FDNY.
“We are awaiting guidance from DOI regarding further action,” Farinacci added.
The investigation comes as Mayor Eric Adams and the FDNY face scrutiny over the process for prioritizing fire safety reviews on behalf of well-connected developers and political campaign donors. It is unclear if the investigation is related to a probe into Adams’ campaign.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Saccavino was promoted to chief of the FDNY’s Fire Prevention Bureau following the demotion of the previous chief, Joseph Jardin. In a 2023 lawsuit, Jardin said he was demoted in retaliation for complaining about “corruption in favor of major real estate developers.”
Cordasco…
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