Dr. Tomasz Kosowski Florida plastic surgeon charged with murder of Steven Cozzi, lawyer with Blanchard Law representing defendants medic was suing.
A Tampa plastic surgeon has been accused of killing a lawyer missing since last week from a Florida firm that represents former co-workers the doctor has been suing in a business dispute.
Largo police arrested Dr. Tomasz Kosowski on a first-degree murder charge on Saturday in the disappearance of Steven Cozzi, 41, who was last seen Tuesday at the firm where he worked while going for a bathroom break.
Police said Sunday that while Cozzi’s body has not been found, they have evidence that he was killed by Kosowski.
They said Cozzi’s wallet, phone and keys were found in the law office along with a significant amount of blood in the bathroom.
‘During the investigation, there was a strong chemical odor in the men’s bathroom of the office and small drops of blood,’ Largo police said in a released statement. ‘A subsequent forensics investigation revealed a significant amount of blood in the same bathroom.’
Victim’s law employer was representing defendant surgeon was suing
Police say a suspicious person and car were seen at the office, leading them to Kosowski. A search of the doctor’s Tarpon Springs home found evidence that led to his arrest, police said. Cops did not elaborate.
Kosowski, 44, who goes by ‘Dr. K,’ was being held without bail on Sunday at the Pinellas County Jail.
Blanchard Law has been representing Kosowski’s former employer and co-workers in a lawsuit he filed against them four years ago and is ongoing according to WFLA.
In the lawsuit, Kosowski said he began working for Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery in 2016, mostly doing breast reconstruction surgery. He said the woman Laufer Institute assigned to do his insurance billing didn’t file claims and lied to his patients, costing him tens of thousands of dollars and resulting in negative reviews of him posted online.
Reputation deeply tarnished
‘Dr. K’s promising young career has essentially been obliterated’ by the woman’s actions, Kosowski’s lawsuit stated. ‘Through no fault of his own, his career was put directly in jeopardy and his reputation has been deeply tarnished.’
The plastic surgeon left Laufer Institute in 2018 and set up his own practice.
Dr Kosowski was the class president when he attended the medical school at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, the Tampa Bay Times reported, citing a news release from when he was hired at Laufer.
The news release described Kosowski as an ‘innovative and accomplished plastic surgeon … who understands the art and science of the human body and how to redefine beauty for each and every patient.’
