Two Former NYC Fire Officials Charged in Federal Bribery Probe

Ex-chiefs accused of taking bribes from contractors

Pair allegedly accepted cash, gifts, and trips in exchange for favorable treatment

Two former high-ranking New York City Fire Department (FDNY) officials have been arrested and charged in a federal bribery probe. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York alleges that former Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro and former Chief of Department Joseph Esposito accepted bribes from contractors in exchange for favorable treatment. The indictment, unsealed Tuesday, charges Nigro and Esposito with conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud. They are accused of accepting cash, gifts, and trips from contractors between 2014 and 2018. In exchange for the bribes, prosecutors allege that Nigro and Esposito steered contracts to the contractors, provided them with confidential information, and helped them win construction permits. The indictment cites several specific instances of alleged bribery. In one case, Nigro is accused of accepting a $10,000 bribe from a contractor in exchange for awarding him a $1 million contract. In another instance, Esposito is accused of accepting a trip to Las Vegas from a contractor in exchange for helping him win a construction permit. Nigro and Esposito have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They are scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing on Wednesday. The arrests of Nigro and Esposito are the latest in a series of high-profile corruption cases involving FDNY officials. In 2017, former FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano was sentenced to 28 months in prison for taking bribes from contractors. The bribery scandal has raised questions about the integrity of the FDNY and the city's procurement process. Mayor Bill de Blasio has vowed to crack down on corruption and restore trust in the city government.