Brooklyn Lawyer Stole $1.5 Million From Elderly Clients: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — A Brooklyn lawyer stole $1.5 million from his clients' home sales and estate dealings, targeting multiple elderly folks, prosecutors said Thursday.

Prosecutors are still searching for victims of lawyer Salvatore Strazzullo's schemes, which cost one 79-year-old Brooklynite $1.2 million in her house sale.

As he did in all his cases, the 51-year-old lawyer used stalling, lying, deflection and excuses to hang on to the woman's money after her Bensonhurts house sold, prosecutors contend.

"After the closing in September 2023, the client asked that [Strazzullo] give her the money, but he allegedly made excuses, claimed there were various delays and, to date, has not turned over her funds," a representative of the district attorney's office.

Prosecutors contend Strazzullo used the funds to pay off creditors and expenses entirely unrelated to the cases.

In another case, the Bensonhurt-based lawyer withheld $170,000 from an 80-year-old man, who hired Strazzullo during the sale of his Borough Park home, prosecutors contend.

Again, Strazzullo "made excuses, stalled, delayed and, to date, has not turned over that money," prosecutors say.

"Attorneys have an ethical duty to protect their clients’ interests," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. "Instead, he is accused of violating the trust of vulnerable individuals and using their funds to pay creditors and other expenses.”

Another 52-year-old woman was scammed out of a $96,000 sitting in Strazzullo's attorney escrow account related to the woman's husband's estate.

People who believe they may be a victim of Strazzullo's schemes were asked to call 718-250-2340 or email at [email protected].