The ruling in the death of Salvatore “Sal” Strazzullo’s was made by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, as they found no suicide note and no foul play — and the embattled lawyer’s family refused an autopsy because of religious reasons.
The 52-year-old was discovered unresponsive in the garage of his parents’ Brooklyn home last Saturday.
Salvatore “Sal” Strazzullo was found dead on Saturday. Zandy Mangold
The car’s engine was running and windows were open, sources told The Post Friday.
Despite the troubling circumstances, the lack of a note meant the medical examiner could not officially say he took his own life, the sources explained.
The medical examiner also did not overrule the family’s call for no autopsy because there was no evidence of criminality at the scene, a source told The Post.
The medical examiner did not perform any other testing – including toxicology – and the undetermined ruling is considered final.
Strazzullo (left) pictured with rapper Foxy Brown leaving the Brooklyn Supreme Court in 2010. Theodore Parisienne
Strazzullo was dubbed New York’s “Night-Life Lawyer” by the New York Times in 2012 thanks to his penchant for representing troubled stars and strippers – most famously rapper and alleged flasher Foxy Brown, for whom he crafted “the underwear defense.”
At the time of his death, Strazzullo was facing criminal theft and fraud charges alleging that he swindled elderly clients out of nearly $3.8 million in order to fund his lavish lifestyle.
In April, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez alleged that Strazzullo has used his escrow account as a Ponzi scheme in which he took funds from one client in order to pay off another – all while racking up hefty bills at chi-chi hotels and restaurants.
Strazzullo’s cause of death is officially undetermined. He is pictured here in court with Foxy Brown. Gregory P. Mango
The lawyer also supposedly used clients’ cash to pay for extravagences like a $100,000 BMW and an apartment at Battery Park City that cost $13,000 per month.
Strazzullo pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree grand larceny, four counts of second-degree grand larceny and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud.
He also pleaded not guilty in December 2023 in a different criminal case, which alleged that he stole $1.5 million from three other clients.
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