Furniture store owner accused of bilking customers of $20,000

Prosecutors have charged the owner of furniture stores in Gilroy, San Jose and Vacaville with stealing thousands of dollars from his customers.

Santa Clara County prosecutors say Hung Anh “Peter” Troung would collect money from customers for chairs and sofas but then fail to deliver the items. Customers would return to the store only to discover that he had closed his business and left town. Then, in a nearby city, the pattern would begin again.

Truong, 48, operated American Furniture in Gilroy from August 2012 to May 2013 and Galaxy Furniture in San Jose from May 2013 to January 2014. He operated the Furniture Outlet in Vacaville from October 2011 to January 2012. At all three businesses, Truong routinely took payments, failed to deliver furniture, and then could not be reached by frustrated customers, prosecutors said.

Truong faces 10 felonies and a misdemeanor count of theft. He was arrested Wednesday and posted $50,000 bail. He’s due in the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill on Sept. 19 for arraignment.

If convicted, he faces up to nine years in prison.

Consumers that believe they are victims of American Furniture in Gilroy or Galaxy Furniture in San Jose can file a complaint with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office by (408) 792-2970.