Bensonhurst attorney accused of stealing $1.5 million from elderly clients

December 15, 2023 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Salvatore Strazzullo in 2017: The Bensonhurst attorney is now facing allegations of stealing $1.5 million from elderly clients.
Photo: Arthur de Gaeta/Brooklyn Eagle

Share this:

In a breach of trust and professional ethics, Brooklyn attorney Salvatore Strazzullo faces serious charges for allegedly pilfering nearly $1.5 million from three unsuspecting clients. This revelation was announced by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez on Thursday.

Fifty-one-year-old Strazzullo, with his law office nestled on 18th Avenue in the heart of Bensonhurst, stands accused of exploiting his position of trust to embezzle vast sums from clients he represented in real estate and estate proceedings.

He was arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Tomlinson on charges including first-degree grand larceny, second-degree grand larceny, and first-degree scheme to defraud on Thursday.

“Attorneys have an ethical duty to protect their clients’ interests, and we will hold accountable those who use their trusted position to steal from Brooklyn residents,” District Attorney Gonzalez said. “The defendant in this case is a lawyer who allegedly betrayed his clients and failed to provide them with their money. Instead, he is accused of violating the trust of vulnerable individuals and using their funds to pay creditors and other expenses.”

According to the criminal complaint, the victims included a 79-year-old woman who, after selling her Bensonhurst home for over $1.2 million, never received her due proceeds. Strazzullo allegedly spun a web of deceit, citing various delays and excuses, while the client’s rightful earnings remained elusive.

In a similar alleged case, an 80-year-old man, upon selling his property on 13th Avenue in Borough Park, found himself entangled in Strazzullo’s alleged scheme. Expecting to receive around $170,000, the elderly client was met with nothing but delays and excuses.

The third alleged victim, a 52-year-old woman, entrusted Strazzullo with her late husband’s estate funds. Despite repeated requests for the disbursement of approximately $96,000, the client faced a barrage of stalling tactics.

Investigations uncovered that Strazzullo allegedly used these embezzled funds to settle his personal debts and expenses, completely unrelated to his clients’ legal matters.

The Strazzullo Law Firm is well known in the neighborhood of Bensonhurst for its annual Christmas tree lighting. The event was covered in 2017 by Brooklyn Eagle reporter Meaghan McGoldrick, and local politicians like then State Senator Marty Golden appeared.