Former High-Ranking FDNY Official Pleads Guilty To Bribery Conspiracy

Press Release Former High-Ranking FDNY Official Pleads Guilty To Bribery Conspiracy Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTHONY SACCAVINO pled guilty today to conspiring to solicit and receive bribes in his role as Chief of the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”) Bureau of Fire Prevention (“BFP”). SACCAVINO pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2025.U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “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. This Office will continue to ensure that City officials who place their own interests above those of the public will be held accountable.”According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in court:From 2021 to 2023, SACCAVINO repeatedly abused his position as a Chief of the BFP by participating in a scheme to solicit and receive $190,000 in total bribe payments from a former FDNY firefighter named Henry Santiago, Jr. In exchange for those bribe payments, SACCAVINO used his authority within the BFP to improperly “expedite” BFP inspections and plan reviews for Santiago’s customers. SACCAVNO personally profited $57,000 as part of this scheme. To carry out this conspiracy, SACCAVINO lied to his BFP subordinates to justify otherwise improper expediting requests. SACCAVINO also lied to law enforcement when interviewed about his involvement in the scheme.If you believe you have information related to bribery, fraud, or any other illegal conduct by FDNY or BFP employees, please contact [email protected] or (212) 825-2402. If you were involved in such conduct, please consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at [email protected].* * *SACCAVINO, 59, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Under the terms of his plea agreement, SACCAVINO agreed to forfeit $57,000. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation.This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Shelby Wratchford(212) 637-2600 Updated January 29, 2025 Topic Public Corruption Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 25-020

Press Release Former High-Ranking FDNY Official Pleads Guilty To Bribery Conspiracy Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTHONY SACCAVINO pled guilty today to conspiring to solicit and receive bribes in his role as Chief of the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”) Bureau of Fire Prevention (“BFP”). SACCAVINO pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2025.U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “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. This Office will continue to ensure that City officials who place their own interests above those of the public will be held accountable.”According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in court:From 2021 to 2023, SACCAVINO repeatedly abused his position as a Chief of the BFP by participating in a scheme to solicit and receive $190,000 in total bribe payments from a former FDNY firefighter named Henry Santiago, Jr. In exchange for those bribe payments, SACCAVINO used his authority within the BFP to improperly “expedite” BFP inspections and plan reviews for Santiago’s customers. SACCAVNO personally profited $57,000 as part of this scheme. To carry out this conspiracy, SACCAVINO lied to his BFP subordinates to justify otherwise improper expediting requests. SACCAVINO also lied to law enforcement when interviewed about his involvement in the scheme.If you believe you have information related to bribery, fraud, or any other illegal conduct by FDNY or BFP employees, please contact [email protected] or (212) 825-2402. If you were involved in such conduct, please consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at [email protected].* * *SACCAVINO, 59, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Under the terms of his plea agreement, SACCAVINO agreed to forfeit $57,000. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation.This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Shelby Wratchford(212) 637-2600 Updated January 29, 2025 Topic Public Corruption Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 25-020