OC supervisor pleads guilty to taking $550K in bribes from COVID relief funds

Andrew Do, a supervisor on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, has agreed to plead guilty to a felony federal charge after admitting to accepting over $550,000 in bribes, beginning in 2020. These payments were received in exchange for directing more than $10 million in COVID-19 relief funds to the nonprofit Viet America Society (VAS) associated with his daughter, Rhiannon Do. According to the Justice Department, Do’s actions constituted a breach of public trust and misappropriation of funds intended to provide meals for elderly residents.

Do’s plea: In his plea agreement, Do acknowledged that he conspired to steer relief funds to the VAS, while knowingly allowing much of the money to benefit insiders, including his family. VAS allegedly funneled a significant portion of these funds to “Company #1,” which then paid Rhiannon monthly and transferred a substantial sum to help her purchase a home. In addition, Do admitted that other payments directed to his daughters served as bribes, misusing taxpayer dollars meant for public assistance during the pandemic.
What’s next?: Do’s plea agreement entails forfeiting assets connected to the bribery scheme and requires him to pay restitution. As part of the agreement, he has agreed to resign from his position on the Board of Supervisors. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Do was previously voted to be removed from all committee and board appointments, including his role on the Orange County Transportation Authority. A judge has also ordered the bank accounts of the VAS and its affiliates to be frozen amid the ongoing federal investigation and grand jury subpoenas.

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