Two Yonkers building inspectors accepted bribes, billed for fake work, report finds

A building inspector in Yonkers allegedly overlooked violations in exchange for money from property owners, while another “billed the city for fake work hours,” LoHud reported. Brendan McGrath, a Yonkers native who was recently tapped to serve another five-year term as the city’s inspector general, wrote in a new report that recently-fired building inspector Joseph Guarniero accepted bribes from property owners and ignored violations “with the simple gesture of putting up fingers.” McGrath’s report found that “Three fingers = $300, five fingers – $500, etc.,” according to the outlet. Patrick Losco, the other building inspector, allegedly claimed he was working for Yonkers — and charged the city for his work — when he was actually working a second job at a hospital. Public records show that Losco and Guarniero earned $116,593.14 and $116,390.07, respectively, from the city in 2017. Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said in a statement that his office does not “tolerate bribes” and would “continue to provide the full support of this administration in dealing with dishonest behavior.” [LoHud]