Federal officials arrested the head of a South Los Angeles charity for allegedly stealing money intended to help the homeless and using much of the money to fund his lifestyle.
Alexander Soofer was arrested at his $7 million Westwood home on Friday morning. He’s being charged with fraudulently obtaining $23 million of public money and pocketing at least $10 million of it.
“He was living the high life while the people suffering, homeless on the streets with no shelter, no food,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said at the press conference.” “They're living out on the streets. People are literally dying, and this guy is out vacationing, buying homes, buying Range Rovers, and going shopping.”
Soofer was supposed to be providing housing for 600 homeless people and three nutritious meals per day. Essayli said that Soofer was providing “ramen noodles and a microwave.”
“Your dollars, your taxpaying dollars, went to buy [Soofer’s Westwood] house,” he said. “He also used tax dollars to pay for private school tuition for his children.”
The authorities say that when questioned, Soofer provided phony invoices to try to cover his tracks.
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L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said they’re conducting their own investigation into the alleged fraud committed by Soofer.
“He went ahead and ripped off the voters of L.A. County,” Hochman said. “He ripped off the taxpayers of L.A. County, and sadly and tragically, he ripped off the homeless.
The investigation began with a tip to local officials, but authorities say they are working on a number of similar cases involving fraud by those serving those who are homeless.
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