New York City lawyer Salvatore Strazzullo, notorious for his colorful client roster and personal scandals, was found dead in his car outside his parents’ Brooklyn home on Saturday. He was 52. The circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear, and his cause of death has yet to be determined, the NY Post reports.
‘Night-life lawyer’
Strazzullo, who earned the nickname “the night-life lawyer” for his knack for taking on cases involving celebrities and embarrassing situations, was facing multiple criminal cases accusing him of swindling millions of dollars from people.
Famous clients
In 2011, Strazzullo defended rapper Foxy Brown, who was accused of assaulting a neighbor with whom she had a feud. Strazzullo was prepared to resort to the “underwear defense” if the case went to trial, arguing that his client was not wearing underwear that day. However, the case was dismissed.
In another case, Strazzullo represented exotic dancer Milana Dravenel, who sued Oscar De La Hoya for $100 million in 2007. The case involved erotic photographs of the boxing legend in his underwear, which Ms. Dravenel sold to a West Coast photo agency for $70,000. Mr. De La Hoya’s team claimed the photographs were doctored.
Personal scandals
This infamous lawyer faced numerous legal troubles throughout his career, including allegations of sexual assault and criminal charges of theft and fraud.
In 2011, Desiree DeMartino, a former paralegal and employee, filed charges against Strazzullo for sexual assault in Brooklyn federal court. The suit alleged that Strazzullo cornered Ms. DeMartino in a conference room, pleasured himself in front of her, and committed other inappropriate acts, including forcibly kissing her and groping her breasts.
Most recently, Strazzullo faced criminal charges for theft and fraud, accusing him of misusing his escrow account to fund a lavish lifestyle. In April, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez alleged that Strazzullo operated a Ponzi scheme that used one client’s money to pay another client while also racking up thousands of dollars in fees at expensive restaurants and hotels. Prosecutors also alleged he spent the stolen money on luxuries such as a $100,000 BMW and a $13,000-a-month apartment.
Strazzullo pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of grand theft and fraud, but the evidence against him was overwhelming. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez condemned Strazzullo’s actions, saying he stole “money” from senior citizens who trusted him.
At the time of his death, two criminal cases against Strazzullo, including the alleged theft of $1.5 million from three clients, were still pending.
