Director of L.A. Charity Accused of Stealing $10 Million in Funds That Were Supposed to Help Feed the Homeless By Toria Sheffield

A California man is accused of stealing millions of dollars in public funds intended to help the homeless.

Alexander Soofer, 42, was arrested on Friday, Jan. 23, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office. 

Soofer, who served as executive director of Abundant Blessings, a Los Angeles-based charity that claimed to help feed and house the city’s homeless, received $23 million in public contracts between 2018 and 2025. He allegedly used $10 million of those funds for his own personal use, per the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Soofer allegedly used the embezzled funds to make a downpayment on a $7 million home in an affluent L.A. neighborhood, buy vacation property in Greece and pay for trips on private jets and stays in luxury resorts.

Soofer obtained contracts with government agencies, including the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), by claiming his organization provided housing for homeless individuals, as well as provided three healthful meals a day for program participants. 

However, an investigation showed that Soofer was allegedly falsifying documents — including creating “fake and misleading invoices” — and had misappropriated “millions of dollars for himself,” per the release. 

“After receiving hotline complaints and noticing discrepancies in Soofer’s billing and services, city and county investigators conducted site visits and found the only food items being served at these sites were things such as ramen noodles, canned beans and breakfast bars — which was in contrast to the three-meal-a-day commitment Soofer had made and for which the City of Los Angeles had paid,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Soofer has been charged with 18 felony counts, per a release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. If convicted on all charges, he faces more than 17 years in custody, including both prison and jail time, according to the release.

“Self-dealing government funds intended for food and housing for homeless residents of L.A. County, including families and children, is despicable,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said during a press conference on Friday, Jan. 23.

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“The defendant called his company ‘Abundant Blessings,’ but the only abundant blessings he gave were to himself. My office will ensure anyone who thinks they can defraud the government will be brought to justice,” he added.

In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice said Soofer made his initial court appearance on Friday in the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, Calif.

His bond was set at $1.5 million, and his next court date is scheduled for Feb. 26. No plea was taken at the time, per the spokesperson.

In a statement to PEOPLE, the LAHSA said it “does not comment on ongoing criminal prosecutions” and “terminated its relationship with Abundant Blessings in October 2024.”

 “LAHSA takes its stewardship of public funds and its maintenance of the public’s trust seriously. In the case of Abundant Blessings, we identified issues, investigated and substantiated those concerns, terminated their contracts and referred them to the proper authorities,” the organization added. “We will continue our efforts to monitor provider performance to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to address homelessness as effectively and efficiently as possible.”

It is not immediately clear whether Soofer currently has legal representation to comment on his behalf.