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OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
7:37 PM – Friday, January 23, 2026
Federal authorities arrested the executive director of a South Los Angeles-based charity on Friday on charges that he orchestrated a massive $23 million fraud scheme, siphoning taxpayer funds intended for the city’s homeless population to bankroll a lifestyle of luxury.
Alexander Soofer, 42, the head of the Hyde Park-based nonprofit Abundant Blessings, was taken into custody at his Westwood home by federal agents.
Prosecutors say that while Soofer claimed to be housing and feeding hundreds of vulnerable residents, he was instead treating public funds as his “personal piggybank,” spending millions on a $7 million mansion, private jets and high-end designer goods.
According to the criminal complaint, Soofer’s charity received more than $23 million between 2018 and 2025 through contracts with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and other partner organizations. In exchange, Abundant Blessings was tasked with providing housing and three nutritious, balanced meals a day for over 600 participants.
Investigators also painted a much grimmer picture of the reality at Soofer’s sites.
- The Unhealthy, Cheap Food: While billing the city for healthy meals, site visits by investigators revealed that residents were only being served ramen noodles, canned beans and breakfast bars.
- The Phony ‘Board of Directors’: When questioned about oversight, Soofer allegedly claimed his board of directors approved his spending. Federal agents later discovered the board was entirely fabricated. Some members did not exist, while others had never heard of Soofer or his charity.
- Fake Invoices: Prosecutors say Soofer used the logos and addresses of legitimate companies to create fake invoices, making it appear he was paying third-party vendors for services he was actually pocketing the money for.
While the city’s most vulnerable were left with meager rations, prosecutors allege Soofer diverted at least $10 million for personal use. The list of expenditures outlined by the Department of Justice includes:
- A $7 million home in the upscale Westwood neighborhood and a $475,000 vacation property in Greece.
- Private jet charters and stays at five-star resorts, including the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea — the luxury destination famously featured in the first season of the HBO show “The White Lotus.”
- Thousands of dollars spent on designers like Hermès and Chanel, including “$1,250 calfskin loafers and $910 sandals.”
- A $125,000 Range Rover, which was seized by federal agents during Friday’s arrest.
“This money should have gone to those in need; instead, it lined the pockets of an individual subsidizing a lavish lifestyle,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli during a press conference.
He is charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Additionally, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced 11 felony counts of conflict of interest, forgery and offering false evidence. If convicted on these state charges, Soofer faces an additional 17 years.
L.A. Democrat Mayor Karen Bass later issued a statement calling the allegations “despicable” while emphasizing a “zero tolerance” policy for fraud within the city’s homelessness programs.
“Today we learned that a private developer has been arrested and charged in a complex scheme to defraud lenders across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. One of the alleged fraudulent schemes involved real estate in West L.A. that was acquired to provide housing for elderly Angelenos experiencing homelessness. My administration has zero tolerance for corruption – period. We’re working with the U.S. Attorney’s office to ensure that anyone who engages in fraud against the city will face the full force of the law and my administration’s unwavering commitment to accountability.”
Soofer made his initial court appearance on Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.
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