PORT ST. LUCIE — The owner of the shopping center where The Nation Christian Academy has leased space since April has taken steps to evict the private nonprofit school, saying it hasn’t paid more than $40,700 in rent, according to court records.

Nation Christian and Mike Woodbury, which various state records list as CEO, owner, president and registered agent, have been the subjects of a TCPalm investigation since Oct. 31.

TCPalm published a story at that time revealing an audio recording posted on YouTube of Woodbury berating and threatening a student from Haiti who lived with him.

WARNING: This audio contains profane language some readers will find offensive.

The eviction paperwork states Barnabas Christian Academy, Inc., is doing business as The Nation Christian Academy. In April, it entered a lease agreement with the landlord for space in The Market Place of Port St. Lucie, just north of Port St. Lucie Boulevard.

The shopping center was bought Dec. 19, and the new owner, DTS Properties, LLC., states the lease “expired by non-payment of rent and a five-day notice” was served to the academy, which failed to pay the rent.

Court filings state the academy owes rent from Dec. 19 through Jan. 31 totaling $40,720.05.

Woodbury and Ray Askew, a top school administrator, have declined to comment to TCPalm regarding its ongoing investigation.

The Florida Department of Education conducted a site visit and records review Wednesday.

The monthly base rent, according to the lease, is $34,330.08.

The permitted use for the space is for a private, Christian school for kindergarten through 12th-grade students with after-school programs for “specialized, competition-level basketball, dance and string instrument extended school programs,” court records state.

Port St. Lucie granted Woodbury the special exception he applied for in April, allowing him to operate a private school in the space zoned for retail, office, RV park and/or nursing home, city records show.

Keiser University was a previous tenant.

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