I’m disabled after serving my country for 16 years – $315k was drained from my retirement savings and now I’m broke

A VETERAN said he lost over $315,000 after his retirement fund was allegedly drained by a company he had hired.

Steve Sonza said his family had a business build an accessory dwelling unit in their backyard but said they were left with a drained bank account and no building.

Sonza, who had served in the California National Guard for 16 years, said the family wanted to build an ADU after he had left the army on medical grounds.

He is 100% disabled and has suffered from memory loss and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The father, from Rohnert Park, California, around 50 miles north of San Francisco, said he hired a company named Anchored Tiny Homes to construct the $330,000 building.

Sonza said two $100,000 payments and one $21,000 payment were taken by the company from the family’s bank account on March 21, according to NBC affiliate KNTV.

The family claimed these payments were unscheduled and were made before the ADU was built.

Sonza said he had linked the contractor directly to his bank account to ensure no payments were missed.

He also said that he had been left with no money after this incident.

“They took the money from our retirement savings. All of it, essentially,” Sonza said.

"They drained it.”

The family has also received a $40,000 grant and a $50,000 equity loan from the state.

They said this money had been sent to the company to start the work.

Sonza alleged that he was out $315,700 overall from this situation.

The dad and veteran claimed he had not been repaid by the company.

“I tried to call and reach out to them. And what happened? Nothing," he said.

They took the money from our retirement savings. All of it, essentially."

“Even if it was an accidental blip in [the company’s] system, they have to return the money as soon as they find out," he added.

Sonza added that he was unable to reverse the transactions and get his funds back through his bank as he had left that process too late.

The California Contractors State Licensing Board told KNTV that these sorts of withdrawals should not have happened before any of the work was completed.

“It is against the law for a contractor to collect payment for work not yet completed or for materials not yet delivered,” the board said.

Around 10 other people have allegedly come forward and said they experienced similar situations with this company, according to KNTV.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Anchored Tiny Homes for comment.