(Cupventi.com) – Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has agreed to plead guilty to a federal bribery conspiracy charge, stepping down immediately from his position amid an ongoing investigation into county funds that were provided to a nonprofit COVID-19 relief organization employing his daughter, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Do, 62, will plead guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to commit bribery, admitting that he accepted over $550,000 in bribes in exchange for casting votes on the Board of Supervisors that directed more than $10 million in COVID-19 relief funding to the Viet America Society (VAS), a nonprofit where his daughter, Rhiannon Do, was employed, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The illegal transactions began in 2020 and continued until February 2024.
The plea agreement comes with a potential five-year prison sentence. Prosecutors detailed how some of the county funds allocated to VAS were channeled through an unnamed company, which made monthly payments of $8,000 to Rhiannon Do. By February 2024, these payments had totaled $224,000. The unnamed company also transferred more than $380,000 to an escrow account, which was subsequently used by Rhiannon to purchase a $1 million home in Tustin. Additional portions of the funds were diverted to pay property taxes on properties owned by Andrew Do and his wife, and $15,000 was used to cover one of his credit card bills.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada condemned Andrew Do’s actions, saying, “By putting his own interests over those of his constituents, the defendant sold his high office and betrayed the public’s trust. Even worse, the money he misappropriated and accepted as bribe payments was taken from those most in need – older adults and disabled residents. Our community deserved much better. Corruption has no place in our politics and my office will continue to hold accountable officials who cheat the public.”
The fallout for Andrew Do also includes a separate plea agreement with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Under the terms of that agreement, Do will forfeit any pension credits accumulated during the period he was involved in the bribery scheme and step down immediately from his role as county supervisor.
Paul S. Meyer, Andrew Do’s attorney, responded to the news by stating, “Out of respect for the legal process, no statement is appropriate at this time. However, it is appropriate to convey Andrew Do’s sincere apology and deep sadness to his family, to his constituents in District One, and to his colleagues.”
Rhiannon Do, meanwhile, has agreed to cooperate fully with investigators and will be allowed to enter a diversion program. As part of the plea deal, she will also forfeit the home purchased in Tustin with illicit funds.
Andrew Do has already faced significant repercussions, including losing his committee assignments and his seat on the Orange County Transportation Authority board. The Board of Supervisors, which does not have the power to remove a member, had previously censured Do and called for his resignation.
Supervisor Katrina Foley, one of Do’s colleagues, expressed her disgust with Do’s actions on social media, writing, “Instead of serving as an example of what the American Dream can achieve, Andrew Do dragged his family and associates into an American Nightmare. I am disgusted by the staggering level of corruption, greed, and deception described in the federal indictments.”
Board Chairman Don Wagner praised the work of federal law enforcement officials, stating, “We are thankful for the thorough and careful investigation carried out by federal law enforcement officials. Orange County residents have demanded answers and accountability. So has the board, taking several steps to address contracting and oversight practices. This indictment only speaks to the federal criminal investigation. The county remains committed to continuing its civil lawsuits in order to hold all responsible parties accountable and to recover misused public funds.”
Questions about the subcontracts awarded to VAS sparked controversy in 2023, when concerns were raised about funds tied to a COVID-19 relief program that aimed to deliver meals to elderly and vulnerable residents during the pandemic. The county later filed a lawsuit against VAS in an effort to recover millions of dollars for unaccounted-for services. While Andrew Do was not initially named in the lawsuit, Rhiannon Do was accused of using funds to purchase her Tustin home. Do also had connections to Peter Pham, the head of VAS, who has been involved in the controversy.
VAS officials have maintained that they provided meals as promised but faced challenges with paperwork and compliance during the pandemic, especially given the need for social distancing. An attorney for VAS explained that collecting signatures and proper documentation from residents was particularly difficult under these conditions.
Recently, San Diego County Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal, who was assigned the case because Andrew Do’s wife, Cheri Pham, serves as a judge in Orange County, ordered VAS to set aside $4.2 million in the event the county prevails in its lawsuit. Additionally, the county filed a separate lawsuit against Hand to Hand Relief, another organization subcontracting with VAS.
Federal authorities also raided the homes of Rhiannon Do, Peter Pham, and other locations tied to the investigation, including Andrew Do’s residence, in August of this year. Andrew Do had already been scheduled to leave his position at the end of 2024 due to term limits.
Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento highlighted the significance of the indictment, saying, “This is a day Orange County residents have been waiting for to ensure Supervisor Do is held to account for his misconduct. The unsealing of the indictments demonstrates years of unethical and illegal acts that directly harmed the most vulnerable in our County. We must not discontinue the investigations until all parties involved are brought to justice, and the systemic problems that led to these abuses are reformed.”