OC Supervisor Andrew Do to plead guilty in corruption case and resign, federal prosecutors say

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNS) -- Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who was under pressure to resign amid a probe into county funding provided to a nonprofit COVID-19 relief organization that employed his daughter, will immediately vacate his seat and plead guilty to a federal bribery conspiracy charge, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Do, 62, has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit bribery, admitting that in exchange for more than $550,000 in bribes, he cast votes on the Board of Supervisors beginning in 2020 that directed more than $10 million in COVID relief funds to the Viet America Society, where his daughter Rhiannon worked, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

He could face up to five years in prison, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said some of the county money received by VAS was ultimately funneled through an unnamed outside company that made monthly $8,000 payments to Rhiannon Do, totaling $224,000 by February 2024. The company also transferred more than $380,000 to an escrow company, and Rhiannon Do used that money to purchase a $1 million home in Tustin, prosecutors said. Other funds were routed back to Andrew Do to make property tax payments on properties owned by him and his wife, while another $15,000 was used to pay one of Andrew Do's credit card bills, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"By putting his own interests over those of his constituents, the defendant sold his high office and betrayed the public's trust," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. "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."

While agreeing to plead guilty to the federal bribery conspiracy charge, Andrew Do also reached a separate but related plea agreement with the Orange County District Attorney's Office, under which he will immediately step down as a county supervisor and forfeit any pension credit he amassed during the time he was engaged in the bribery scheme, authorities said.

"Out of respect for the legal process, no statement is appropriate at this time," Paul S. Meyer, attorney for Andrew Do, said Tuesday afternoon. "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 has agreed to fully cooperate with the investigation and will be allowed to enter a diversion program. She agreed to forfeit the home in Tustin, prosecutors said.

Andrew Do had already been stripped of his committee assignments and his seat on the Orange County Transportation Authority board. Do was also censured by his fellow supervisors, some of whom have been calling for him to resign, since they lacked the power to remove him from office.

One of those supervisors, Katrina Foley, responded to the news of Do's indictment by writing on X, "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 said in a statement, "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."

The firestorm around Do started last year when questions were raised about the COVID-19 relief subcontracts provided to the Viet America Society, which employed Do's daughter. The uproar boiled over in August when the county sued VAS in an attempt to claw back millions of dollars for unaccounted-for services tied to a contract for a program to deliver meals to the elderly and needy during the pandemic.

Do was not named in the lawsuit, but his daughter was accused of using some of the money to buy the home in Tustin. Do also has connections to Peter Pham, the head of VAS.

VAS officials insisted they prepared and delivered the meals during the pandemic, but failed to adequately account for the services. An attorney for VAS said its drivers struggled to collect all of the paperwork as residents were engaged in social distancing during the pandemic.

On Friday, San Diego County Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal -- who was appointed to handle the county's lawsuit because Do's wife, and Rhiannon's mother, is Orange County Superior Court Judge Cheri Pham -- ordered VAS to set aside nearly $4.2 million in case the county prevails in its lawsuit.

The county has also sued the Hand to Hand Relief organization, which subcontracted with VAS.

Federal investigators in August raided the homes of Peter Pham and Rhiannon Do, along with other locations tied to the probe into alleged misuse of funds, including Andrew Do's home.

Do had been scheduled to leave the Board of Supervisors due to term limits at the end of the year.

"This is a day Orange County residents have been waiting for to ensure Supervisor Do is held to account for his misconduct," County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said in a statement ."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."