The director of a Los Angeles homelessness charity allegedly siphoned millions in taxpayer cash meant to combat homelessness — and used it to fund his lavish lifestyle, the feds said Thursday.
Alexander Soofer, 42, boss of Abundant Blessings, was accused of pocketing $23 million in public funds, lining his pockets with at least $10 million of it, according to federal prosecutors.
He allegedly used the cash to buy a $7 million mansion in Westwood, a $125,000 Range Rover and to cover his kids’ private school tuition, private jet travel and stays at luxury resorts, the US Attorney’s Office said.
“California is the poster child of rampant fraud, waste, and abuse of tax dollars,” charged First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli. “The state has facilitated the spending of billions of dollars to combat homelessness, with little to show for it and almost no oversight.”
Soofer has been charged with wire fraud for his alleged misappropriating of the millions, of which $17 million came directly from Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
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The charity bigwig is accused of lying to LAHSA about how he was using the funds and of fabricating payments to vendors for homeless housing services when he was actually diverting the money to his own bank account, the feds said.
“Soofer allegedly prioritized his own greed over decency and respect for the laws of our country,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Essayli said the federal government was auditing California’s spending and that the case against Soofer was “just one example of how fraudsters have swindled millions of dollars from taxpapers.
“This money should have gone to those in need, instead in lines the pockets of individuals subsidizing their lavish lifestyle,” he said.
If convicted, Soofer would face up to 20 years in federal prison.
