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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former O.C. supervisor Andrew Do sentenced to 5 years in federal prison
Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has been sentenced to five years in federal prison. While in office, Andrew Hoang Do, 62, 'accept[ed] more than $550,000 in bribes for directing and vot[ed] in favor of more than $10 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds to a charity affiliated with one of his daughters,' the United States Department of Justice said in a news release. That nonprofit, the Viet America Society, received millions from the county, investigations by LAist and other outlets discovered. Do's daughter Rhiannon Do, 23, purchased a million-dollar home after VAS officials allegedly enriched themselves using the tax funds. 'As a county supervisor, Andrew Do transformed the County of Orange into an ATM available to his insiders, his loved ones, and himself, withdrawing millions of dollars to buy houses, lavish dinners, and expensive wine while the elderly, the sick, and the vulnerable who depended on Andrew Do were left to fend for themselves,' said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. 'We, along with our federal partners, are continuing to peel back the layers of conspiracy to hold every thief accountable and return those stolen monies to the communities to which they belonged.' Do, who resigned his office and agreed to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery last year, has a restitution hearing set for Aug. 11. He will be responsible for repaying 'the bribe money he and his daughters received,' prosecutors said, though the plea has already cost the Do family hundreds of thousands of dollars. 'Do forfeited assets connected to the bribery scheme, including the Tustin property his daughter purchased in 2023,' the DOJ said. 'As part of his daughter's related diversion agreement, she forfeited the Tustin property.' Also forfeited was Do's pension accrued during the scheme. 'Elected officials have a sworn duty to put their constituents' interests ahead of their own,' said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. 'Public money intended to assist aging and ailing pandemic victims instead filled the coffers of Do, his family, and insiders. I commend our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for their work on this important case and for helping to remove a corrupt politician from his seat of power.' Anyone with information on public corruption in Orange County is encouraged to send information to the FBI's email tip line at and/or to contact the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office at 310- 477-6565. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Ex-Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do sentenced to 5 years in prison for bribery
Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who pleaded guilty last year to taking bribes and directing COVID-19 relief funds to a nonprofit where his daughter worked, was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison. Do resigned his seat on the board as part of a 2024 plea deal where he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit bribery. The 62-year-old received the maximum five-year sentence. Between 2020 and 2024, Do "used his position as the supervisor for Orange County's First District to steer millions of dollars to his personal associates in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes," prosecutors said in their sentencing brief. The supervisor took bribes to cast votes that funneled more than $10 million in county contracts to the Viet America Society, where his daughter Rhiannon worked. After going to the nonprofit, monthly payments were made to his daughter, totaling $224,000 by 2024. She used that money to buy a $1 million home in Tustin and Do and his family received more than $700,000 in bribe payments, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Do used the money to pay property taxes and to pay credit card debt. "The scheme essentially functioned like Robin Hood in reverse. Mr. Do and his conspirators stole money from the poor to give to themselves," former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said earlier. The prosecution argued that Do should receive harsher punishment for his corruption, as such crimes are "an assault on the very legitimacy of government." "The scheme was far-reaching and premeditated, and the defendant had no qualms about pulling others into his criminal enterprise, including his own children," prosecutors said. Also on Monday, a new co-defendant in the case, 61-year-old Thanh Huong Nguyen of Santa Ana, is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and concealment of money laundering. Nguyen operated the Hand to Hand Relief Organization. Do's associate Peter Anh Pham, 65, of Garden Grove, who ran VAS, was also indicted on single counts each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud bribery and six counts each of wire fraud and concealment of money laundering. Pham's whereabouts are unknown and federal prosecutors say he is considered a fugitive. Do's attorney, Paul Meyer, released an apology statement on his behalf following the announcement of his plea deal last year. "It is appropriate to convey Andrew Do's sincere apology and deep sadness to his family, to his constituents and District 1, and to his colleagues," the statement read. Do's attorneys continued to detail the former supervisor's remorse. "He has watched the complete destruction of his career, reputation, his life and that of his family," his attorneys said. "…In short, Andrew Do's life has been destroyed by his own acts."
Los Angeles Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
O.C. Supervisors approve victim impact statement for Andrew Do sentencing
Orange County supervisors Tuesday approved a victim impact statement for the federal judge to consider in the sentencing of former Supervisor Andrew Do, who pleaded guilty to bribery. The board voted 3-1 for the letter with Supervisor Don Wagner dissenting and Chairman Doug Chaffee abstaining. Wagner objected to adding the resolution the board approved earlier this month asking for federal and state prosecutors to review the plea deal for Do, which they said was too lenient with a maximum punishment of 5 years. Chaffee also echoed concerns about how attaching the resolution would send conflicting messages to U.S. District Judge James Selna. 'I want the maximum sentence, and I think this detracts from that possibility,' Chaffee said. Wagner argued that the resolution and the victim impact statement 'serve two very different purposes... By attaching the resolution we're diminishing the impact statement. We are somehow again saying to the court we believe what we're trying to do as the victim here is not being served by the prosecutors and you, the judge... It's terribly inappropriate for us to do it.' Supervisor Janet Nguyen, who sponsored the resolution, objected to how she felt county attorneys watered down the victim impact statement and wouldn't support it unless the resolution calling for a review of the plea deal was attached. 'This, to me, is offensive and it is wrong,' Nguyen said, arguing the victim impact statement is weaker than the resolution. That prompted Vice Chair Katrina Foley to suggest attaching the resolution to the victim impact statement. Foley did not share the concerns of Wagner and Chaffee, saying the victims could really just say what they want in a statement to the judge. Foley also emphasized, 'I believe the (Department of Justice) and the (District Attorney) did a good job' on the plea deal. 'I am not questioning the integrity (of the agreement).' Foley agreed with Nguyen that it was appropriate to list all of the potential charges Do could have faced if he had not agreed to plead guilty. Do is scheduled to be sentenced June 9. Do's attorney, Paul Meyer, said, 'It is inappropriate to make comment before sentencing.' Meyer earlier characterized the resolution as a 'blatant attempt to assert political influence in a federal matter,' and added it was 'reprehensible.' On April 14, U.S. District Judge James Selna approved a forfeiture order for Do that includes the former supervisor paying $1,702,640.86 from one bank account and $724,749.10 from another as well as giving up property at 14732 Candeda Place in Tustin and another property at 2410 W. 17th St. in Santa Ana. Do pleaded guilty to a felony federal bribery conspiracy charge on Oct. 31. His attorney worked out a deal that puts a five-year lid on Do's time behind bars. Do admitted in his plea agreement that in exchange for more than $550,000 in bribes, he cast votes starting in 2020 that directed more than $10 million in COVID-relief funds to the Viet America Society, where his daughter Rhiannon worked, according to federal prosecutors. Do faces up to five years in prison and his daughter, Rhiannon Do, will be placed in a diversion program as part of the plea deal.
