A nonprofit organization in Santa Clara County has filed a lawsuit against its former president, accusing him of embezzling over $250,000. The complaint was filed by Asgard Fencers, doing business as The Fencing Center, in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara on September 16, 2025. The defendant named in the case is Sandeep Tiwari.
The Fencing Center alleges that Sandeep Tiwari, who served as President of the Board from 2012 until his termination in December 2022, engaged in a series of fraudulent activities to misappropriate funds from the nonprofit. According to the complaint, Tiwari began his tenure at The Fencing Center by claiming he was entitled to a salary equal to 10% of the organization’s revenue—a claim for which there was no documented approval from the board. From 2016 onwards, Tiwari allegedly overpaid himself through unauthorized payroll and advances totaling $251,477 over several years. In addition to financial mismanagement, Tiwari failed to file necessary tax documents with federal and state authorities for multiple years, leading to legal troubles and loss of favorable lease terms for The Fencing Center.
The plaintiff claims that these actions were not only breaches of fiduciary duty but also acts of fraud and deceit under California law. They allege that Tiwari’s actions have severely damaged their financial standing and ability to operate effectively. The complaint outlines eleven causes of action including fraud, conversion, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.
Asgard Fencers is seeking compensatory damages amounting to the funds allegedly misappropriated by Tiwari. They are also asking for punitive damages due to what they describe as deliberate and malicious conduct on Tiwari’s part. Additionally, they seek preliminary and injunctive relief along with reasonable attorney fees and other costs associated with bringing this case forward.
The attorneys representing Asgard Fencers are Kathryn S. Diemer and Robert C. Diemer from Diemer & Wei LLP. The case is being reviewed under Case ID: 25CV475232 by Judge S. Rodriguez at the Superior Court of California in Santa Clara County.
Source: 25CV475232_Asgard_Fencers_v_Sandeep_Tiwari_Complaint_County_of_Santa_Clara_California.pdf
