Brian Cordasco, a former Chief of the New York City Fire Department's Bureau of Fire Prevention, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for his involvement in a bribery conspiracy. Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew Podolsky, announced the sentencing, which occurred after Cordasco had pled guilty in October 2024 in front of U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.
Cordasco was found guilty of receiving bribes while in charge of expediting fire inspection services, ultimately abusing his position of trust. "As a chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention, Brian Cordasco was entrusted to protect the people of New York City and to fairly represent their interests. Instead, he repeatedly abused his position of power by expediting fire inspection services for those who paid him thousands of dollars in bribes. The sentence imposed today sends a clear message that government officials who betray the public trust to line their own pockets will be met with just punishment," Podolsky stated.
The indictment revealed that Cordasco conspired between 2021 and 2023 to solicit $190,000 in bribes from former FDNY firefighter Henry Santiago, Jr. These bribes allowed Cordasco to expedite fire inspections and review plans for Santiago’s clients. Cordasco personally received $57,000 from this scheme. Furthermore, he deceived his subordinates and law enforcement to facilitate and conceal the unlawful activities.
In addition to his prison sentence, Cordasco, a 49-year-old resident of Staten Island, was given a sentence of two years of supervised release, required to forfeit $57,000, and pay a $100,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation were commended for their roles in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by the Office's Public Corruption Unit, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew King, and Daniel H. Wolf.
Anyone with information related to similar illegal conduct by FDNY or Bureau of Fire Prevention employees is encouraged to report it to squad6complaint@doi.nyc.gov or by calling (212) 825-2402. Those involved may consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov.