BK Lawyer Scheme Nets $3.5 Million From Elderly Clients: DA

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A Brooklyn lawyer stole $3.5 million from four elderly clients while he dealt with their real estate sales and estate proceedings, prosecutors said.

Salvatore Strazzullo’s scheme cost a 90-year-old man and an 88-year-old woman in Kensington approximately $1.6 million in their home sale.

Strazzullo is facing grand larceny and scheme to defraud charges, according to prosecutors.

The former lawyer has already been charged in a separate indictment which dates back to December 2023,where he stole $1.5 million from three other clients, Patch previously reported.

As part of his latest scheme, Strazzullo represented an 86-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman on the sale of their family residence in Bensonhurst between August 16, 2023 and March 26, 2024. He then proceeded to steal close to $1.3 million.

“This defendant is accused of stealing a tremendous amount of money that represents the nest eggs of his victims, senior citizens who trusted him to handle their affairs. Instead, he allegedly violated his ethical duty as an attorney, betrayed their trust and broke the law,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

In another case, Strazzullo represented a 54-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman in the sale of two Brooklyn properties, one was their residence in Bensonhurst and one in Dyker Heights was the home of the man’s 86-year-old parents. According to prosecutors, the lawyer stole upwards of $693,000 from the proceeds of both sales.

In all four cases, the Brooklyn lawyer stopped returning phone calls and emails from the clients and never distributed funds.

Finally, in May 2023, Strazzullo represented a 75-year-old man as executor of the estate of his cousin, in the sale of his sole asset, a property located in Borough Park, prosecutor said.

A portion of the proceeds of the $1.9 million sale, approximately $871,250, were deposited in Strazzullo’s escrow account to be distributed to the client, but were not, despite numerous requests.

In addition, Strazzullo used some of the stolen funds from one client to pay money owed to other clients, and spent funds on expensive restaurants, a BMW, and a Battery Park City apartment, prosecutors said.

Officials are still searching for victims of Strazzullo’s schemes.

People who believe they may be a victim of Strazzullo's schemes were asked to call 718-250-2340 or email at StrazzulloComplaints@brooklynda.org.

Strazzullo is due back in court on May 24.