What started as routine paperwork inside a Suffolk County office turned into something far more troubling.
Prosecutors say Brianna Hassett, a 33-year-old Wading River resident, was working as an office assistant in the licensing unit of the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs when she began exploiting the system from the inside.
At first, nothing appeared unusual. Applications came in. Licenses were processed. But behind the scenes, investigators say cash was quietly changing hands.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Hassett accepted bribes in exchange for manipulating official records. In one instance, she falsified a home improvement license application after receiving payment. In another, she provided both the questions and answers to a required proficiency exam, effectively ensuring approval for those willing to pay.
The scheme did not happen alone.
Authorities say Hassett worked in coordination with her husband, Esteban Bermudez, who was not employed by the county. Together, prosecutors say, they turned access to the licensing system into an illegal advantage.
The operation unraveled on February 13, 2025, when both were arrested following an investigation by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office.
More than a year later, the case reached a turning point in a Suffolk County courtroom.
On March 25, 2026, Hassett pleaded guilty to attempted bribe receiving. Bermudez also pleaded guilty to filing false documents.
Hassett had already resigned from her county position months after her arrest, but the case exposed how vulnerable public systems can be when trust is abused from within.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27, 2026, and is expected to receive 1½ to 3 years in prison. Bermudez is expected to be sentenced to five years’ probation.
Photo: SCDA
