Still Missing FL - Steven Cozzi, lawyer, Largo, 21 March 2023 *plastic surgeon arrested*

[Nila Aella]

Here's a link to the office building. There are attachments with the floor plan of a couple of units.

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771 | LoopNet

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771. This space can be viewed on LoopNet. Exceptional office property. Well maintained, new LED lighti

www.loopnet.com

I don't see a parking garage. It just lists 60 surface parking spaces. He was out in an open parking lot with his large cart?
MOO

 

[Nikynoo]

I don't see a parking garage. It just lists 60 surface parking spaces. He was out in an open parking lot with his large cart?
MOO

Yes!

 

[megs1477]

I see a lot of numbers being thrown around regarding the value of his home. Zillow has the current value at $1.6M and the property appraiser has it at a similar $1.7M. The home was purchased in early 2018 for $1M. So he likely has well over $1M in equity in this house.
View attachment 411521

Actually, it is all equity. Unless he used it for collateral in some business dealings. He paid it off in 2022. Which I find interesting. At the same time he was refusing to pay his attny to the point they had to quit because of the losses incurred, he was paying off his $950k mortgage in 4 years.

I can't link the direct record. Search his name if you would like to see the records: Pinellas County Public Records

 

[vls12345]

Another case has been entered online and it's titled Risk Protection.

Case No. 23-003300-IN
SHERIFFS OFFICE, PINELLAS COUNTY VS. TOMASZ ROMAN KOSOWSKI

View attachment 411511

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/Search.aspx?ID=300&NodeID=11000%2c11100%2c23001%2c11101%2c11102%2c11103%2c11104%2c11105%2c11106%2c11107%2c11108%2c11114%2c11109%2c23002%2c23003%2c11110%2c11111%2c11112%2c11113%2c11200%2c11201%2c11202%2c11203%2c11204%2c11205%2c11206%2c11207%2c11208%2c23004%2c11209%2c11210%2c11300%2c11301%2c11302%2c11303%2c11304%2c11305%2c11400%2c11410%2c11411%2c11412%2c11450%2c11451%2c11452%2c11453%2c11600%2c11601%2c11602%2c11603%2c11604%2c12000%2c12100%2c12101%2c12102%2c12103%2c12104%2c12105%2c12106%2c12107%2c12108%2c12109%2c12110%2c12111%2c12113%2c12112%2c12114%2c12200%2c12201%2c12202%2c12203%2c12204%2c12205%2c12206%2c12207%2c12208%2c12209%2c12300%2c12310%2c12311%2c12312%2c12320%2c12321%2c12322%2c12400%2c14000%2c14100%2c14200%2c14300%2c14400%2c14500%2c14600%2c13000%2c13100%2c13200&NodeDesc=Pinellas+County

Any clue what "risk protection" means in re: to this? Is that a normal case type?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help clarify.

 

[CharadeYouAre]

I don't see a parking garage. It just lists 60 surface parking spaces. He was out in an open parking lot with his large cart?
MOO

As Nikynoo said, yep. I also found another link to the property with a complete floor plan of the building.

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771 | LoopNet

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771. This space can be viewed on LoopNet. Class B Office Space. Turn-Key like new space. Upgraded LED

www.loopnet.com

This link has a bunch of interior photos.

2.68 acres in Pinellas County, Florida

Exceptionally well maintained office property. 6 per 1,000 SF parking. A total of 6 Units with Common Area Restrooms. Tenants include law firm, finance, marketing, staffing agency, Veterinarian Admin

www.land.com

 

[megs1477]

Any clue what "risk protection" means in re: to this? Is that a normal case type?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help clarify.

It is gone now. I don't know for sure, but I think it is reasonable to assume this was an internal code for the typical 'suicide watch' type observation.

 

[Jemma]

Like holy heck I'm trying to figure if this was preplanned or spur of the moment. I'm leaning towards preplanned, between injuring him cleaning the crime scene and leaving with him and no one seeing him leave the scene with SC. I really hope they can find SC for his partner and families sake jmoo

this was poorly planned BUT who else is involved

Interesting... I guess I've watched too much Better Call Saul, because I was picturing a giant office building with a huge lobby and tons of potential witnesses. Nope. This is a pretty small single-story office with a lot of shrubbery around, in what looks like an area with very little foot traffic, and a high fence separating the parking lot from the adjacent homes. Also, there are cars parked directly against the building.

Hypothetically, it would not be extraordinarily difficult for a person to move something large out a back door and directly into a waiting vehicle. It's still incredibly brazen that he would murder someone in this location and think to get away with it. So disturbing that he would not even be safe surrounded by coworkers...
Does anyone know what day of the week or time the murder happened?

this was poorly planned but definitely planned!

 

[Jemma]

All this litigation over $15,000 and a bad review? $15,000 to a Plastic Surgeon is not the same as to others, I’m sorry… IMO.
I can’t believe he thought he would get away with this…
RIP Steven - I’m so sad this happened to you.

there has to be more to it! this is way to petty

 

[LovesPeace2]

there has to be more to it! this is way to petty

I really wonder what caused this guy to snap, it's just really weird jmoo

 

[Jemma]

there has to be more to it! this is way to petty

TBH, i thought the same. I’m think there were advances made, but bu who and the out come i’m not sure.

 

[megs1477]

there has to be more to it! this is way to petty

It's a little more than was stated above. He was asking for (and likely expecting) a little over $50,000 in damages plus attorneys fees. If he lost, he would have to pay his own attorney fees plus the others sides which could easily have gone into 6 figures with 3+ years work on this case.
I think he probably had some kind of mental break from the stress of the situation. I am sure the pandemic hurt his business, as all elective surgeries were cancelled for quite a while.
The part that gets me, is that his main beef was with the medical biller. SC & JB weren't even representing her. They were representing the medical practice, who was also named in the suit.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Jake Blanchard spoke exclusively to News Channel 8, saying his colleague and friend, Steven Cozzi, went to the office bathroom last Tuesday and never came back.

“I thought it was odd that he had been gone so long,” Blanchard said. “He was preparing for a hearing.”

When Blanchard went to the restroom to look for him, he says he found blood and called police. Cozzi has been missing ever since.

According to Largo police, Tomasz Kosowski, a pro se plaintiff in one of Cozzi’s cases, killed him.

“You don’t know why somebody would hurt somebody as nice as this guy,” Blanchard said.

Blanchard, Cozzi’s boss at Blanchard Law, said when police asked if Cozzi had any enemies, only one person came to mind. Five days later, that man, Kosowski was arrested.

“This is the only person I could think of that had a problem with Steve,” Blanchard said.

Kosowski, Blanchard says, had grown increasingly irritated with Cozzi over Kowsowski’s ongoing civil lawsuit against his former employer, Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery.

Kowsowski sued for breach of contract and misrepresentation over a billing dispute. Cozzi represented several of the defendants and Kosowski represented himself.

Exclusive: Lawyer who discovered crime scene in Steven Cozzi’s murder speaks out

Jake Blanchard spoke exclusively to News Channel 8, saying his colleague and friend, Steven Cozzi, went to the office bathroom last Tuesday and never came back.

www.wfla.com

 

[Nila Aella]

As Nikynoo said, yep. I also found another link to the property with a complete floor plan of the building.

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771 | LoopNet

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771. This space can be viewed on LoopNet. Class B Office Space. Turn-Key like new space. Upgraded LED

www.loopnet.com

This link has a bunch of interior photos.

2.68 acres in Pinellas County, Florida

Exceptionally well maintained office property. 6 per 1,000 SF parking. A total of 6 Units with Common Area Restrooms. Tenants include law firm, finance, marketing, staffing agency, Veterinarian Admin

www.land.com

Perhaps he was hiding in there?

Interesting tidbit from the probable cause narrative:

Of further note the defendant's left index fingerprint was located on scene in the breaker room for the office building which is not in an area normally accessed by the public.

I wonder what he was doing in the breaker room? I wonder if he intentionally shut off power to the bathroom or something?

Looking at the floorplan, the utility room is behind the bathrooms.
Maybe he put the cart there?
It also looks like a fairly long hallway he had to walk, by offices, to get out the door.
MOO

 

[BrownRice]

Here's a link to the office building. There are attachments with the floor plan of a couple of units.

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771 | LoopNet

1501 Belcher Rd, Largo, FL 33771. This space can be viewed on LoopNet. Exceptional office property. Well maintained, new LED lighti

www.loopnet.com

That’s crazy. I expected it to be a huge multistory building. Omg.

 

[SeesSeas]

Any clue what "risk protection" means in re: to this? Is that a normal case type?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help clarify.

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/default.aspx

23-003300-IN

SHERIFFS OFFICE, PINELLAS COUNTY VS. TOMASZ ROMAN KOSOWSKI

03/27/2023 Section 003 MATTHEY, PHILIPPE

RISK PROTECTION

Guide to Pinellas County Risk Protection Orders (RPO)

Anyone who comes into contact with the police where a gun is allegedly involved is getting a Risk Protection Order (RPO) filed against him or her.

www.727defense.com

Guide to Pinellas County Risk Protection Orders (RPO)
On March 9, 2018, Florida’s version of a red flag law went into effect. It was enacted in response to the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in an attempt to prevent potentially dangerous people from owning firearms.
[...]
Risk protection orders are found under Florida Statute § 790.401. Under this statute, only law enforcement can file the petition against you. Every police department in Pinellas County has delegated the handling of RPOs to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
[...]

Chapter 790 Section 401 - 2022 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate

flsenate.gov

790.401 Risk protection orders.—
(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Petitioner” means a law enforcement officer or a law enforcement agency that petitions a court for a risk protection order under this section.
(b) “Respondent” means the individual who is identified as the respondent in a petition filed under this section.
(c) “Risk protection order” means a temporary ex parte order or a final order granted under this section.
[...]

 

[BrownRice]

Dbm. Site is being wonky tonight

 

[bombardier]

nevermind what I said about the circumstances being so weird there had to be another person involved. sounds like this guy was both crazy, and crazy lucky....

 

[SeesSeas]

IMO: TK became a ticking time-bomb relative to his 2019 civil case.
His angst intensified one year ago, March 2022, when he became ProSe and started filing his own motions.
January 17, 2023 MOTION FOR SANCTIONS outlines TK's specific complaints about Lawyer Cozzi.

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/default.aspx

19-003057-CI

TOMASZ KOSOWSKI , MD Vs. DUNEDIN SURGICAL CONSULTANTS LLC, et al

05/02/2019 Section 7 MUSCARELLA, PATRICIA ANN

NEGLIGENCE - CIRCUIT

03/23/2022			ORDER GRANTING Doc # 109 PLTFS MOTN TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL FOR PLTF

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/ViewDocumentFragment.aspx?DocumentFragmentID=68700772&CheckDocumentGroups=0

01/17/2023			MOTION FOR SANCTIONS Doc # 240 Party: KOSOWSKI , TOMASZ, MD

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/ViewDocumentFragment.aspx?DocumentFragmentID=75623524&CheckDocumentGroups=0

V. Mr. Cozzi has violated Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 4-3.4, Fairness to
Opposing Party and Counsel
1. Rule 4-3.4 states:
[A lawyer must not:] (a) unlawfully obstruct another party’s access to evidence or
otherwise unlawfully alter, destroy, or conceal a document or other material that the
lawyer knows or reasonably should know is relevant to a pending or a reasonably
foreseeable proceeding; nor counsel or assist another person to do any such act;
2. On March 29, 2022, Plaintiff submitted a “Motion to Compel Discovery” to Mr. Cozzi.
3. On April 14, 2022, Mr. Cozzi responded withholding all financial records from DSC,
only supplying Laufer Institute Finances.
4. Despite being ordered by Judge Muscarella to answer all items with plaintiff’s “Subpoena Duces Tecum for Production” of May 18, 2022, Mr. Cozzi provided answers to 12 of 20 items on June 13, 2022. When the unanswered items were again motioned for
production, Mr. Cozzi once again did not provide answers in an objection on July 11,
2022
5. A separate “Request for Production to Defendant Laufer Institute” by Plaintiff was
submitted to Mr. Cozzi on July 15, 2022.
6. Mr. Cozzi replied to this Request on August 12, 2022. He objected to producing all items within.
7. Mr. Cozzi’s persistent refusal to answer these items from Plaintiff’s March discovery
motions and subsequent subpoenas in May required the appointment of Special Master
Jack Day in September of 2022.
8. As above, Judge Day recognized the irregularities in DSC et al. accounting as well as
missing billing documents, invoices, deposit slips, etc., and ordered Mr. Cozzi to produce these items and explain the irregularities.
9. Despite his reporting to Judge Muscarella that he will abide by Judge Day’s
recommendations, to date he indicated he will not comply and is actively trying to
prevent the Plaintiff from obtaining these documents from an alternate source with his
Objection to Plaintiff’s Subpoena Duces Tecum of November 28, 2022.
10. This pattern of initially signaling his willingness to comply with discovery, but only
object to Plaintiff’s motions for production has been a tactic utilized by Mr. Cozzi to
avoid providing the requested documents since the Plaintiff began representing himself in March, 2022.
11. Mr. Cozzi’s obstruction to Plaintiff’s access to evidence is unlawful and one of the main reasons this trial in now in its 4th year and still fraught with unresolved discovery
disputes.
12. Given the Standard to Impose Sanctions Section 57.105, and that Mr. Cozzi provided the above unsupported claims by the listed material facts above to the Court, the plaintiff seeks immediate injunctive relief from DSC et al. and Blanchard Law of reasonable attorney’s fees.
13. Given this violation of the Rules of Professional conduct (4-3.4) by Mr. Cozzi, the
Plaintiff asks the court to disqualify counsel from representing DSC et al.

VI. Injunctive Relief Sought
[...]
5. Disqualify Mr. Cozzi as attorney for DSC et al. given his recurrent disregard for Florida
Bar Rules of Professional Conduct 4-3.3 and 4-3.4.

 

[KrisCo16]

Actually, it is all equity. Unless he used it for collateral in some business dealings. He paid it off in 2022. Which I find interesting. At the same time he was refusing to pay his attny to the point they had to quit because of the losses incurred, he was paying off his $950k mortgage in 4 years.
View attachment 411531
I can't link the direct record. Search his name if you would like to see the records: Pinellas County Public Records

It used to be - and May still be - in Florida if you declare bankruptcy they can’t take your house. My guess is that he foresaw some financial troubles and was trying to protect his assets.

 

[megs1477]

It used to be - and May still be - in Florida if you declare bankruptcy they can’t take your house. My guess is that he foresaw some financial troubles and was trying to protect his assets.

I believe that is still the case, as long as it is his primary residence. Although, I think there would be some questions about paying it off ahead of time.