Latest news with #pandemicrelief
CBS News
11-08-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do ordered to repay nearly $900k after pleading guilty to conspiracy
Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do was ordered to repay the government nearly $900,000 at his federal restitution hearing on Monday for pandemic relief funds that he funneled to benefit himself and his family. The 62-year-old politician from Santa Ana 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. He was sentenced in June to five years in prison. Do admitted that beginning in 2020 and continuing for several years, in exchange for more than $550,000 in bribes, he directed $10 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds to the Viet America Society, a charity affiliated with his daughter. The pandemic relief funds were to provide meals to the disabled and elderly. Prosecutors said that only about 15% of the funds were used for their intended purpose of providing meals. "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. A $1 million home in Tustin for Do's daughter, Rhiannon Do, was purchased with $381,500 of VAS funds, while she was paid $8,000 monthly between September 2021 and February 2024, for a total of $224,000, prosecutors said. In 2022, Do's other daughter received $100,000, and funds were also used for Do's property tax payments and as payment for his credit card bill. The Tustin house was forfeited to the government, according to defense attorneys. They argued that the sale of it should offset any restitution ordered. The county requested $10,259,128.60 in restitution payments from Do, the full amount of money granted to the nonprofit. Federal prosecutors argued that Do should repay $868,612 for the money he and his family took in the scheme, plus $9,618.80 for the county's legal fees. Do's attorneys argued their client should repay at most $802,692, receiving credit for some of the work Do's daughter, Rhiannon, did for VAS. They argued that Do has "a limited ability to pay restitution." U.S. District Judge James Selna sided with prosecutors, ordering restitution of $878,230.80. Do must pay $250,000 within 30 days and then pay $1,000 monthly after his release from prison. Do begins his five-year prison sentence on Friday, and Rhiannon Do will be placed in a diversion program as part of her father's plea deal. "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," United States Attorney Bill Essayli said earlier.
Al Arabiya
30-07-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Us wants back millions in covid relief from local governments over missing reports
The US Treasury is seeking to recoup COVID-19 pandemic relief funds from hundreds of local governments that received millions of dollars but never complied with requirements to report how they used the money. The federal government distributed 350 billion to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments as part of the American Rescue Plan approved by Congress and President Joe Biden in 2021. More than 30,000 governments from the largest state to the tiniest town were to get a share. Governments had until the end of 2024 to obligate the money for specific projects and were supposed to file either quarterly or annual progress reports depending on their population and how much money they received. Most complied. But as of January, about 1,000 mostly smaller governments had failed to file any reports with the Treasury detailing how they used a total of 139 million, according to an analysis by the US Government Accountability Office. A GAO report released last week said the Treasury sent notices to the local governments seeking to recoup the money. As of June 24, a total of 740 local governments subsequently filed reports and will no longer be subject to repaying their funds, the Treasury said in a letter attached to the GAO report. Thirteen governments returned their funds to the Treasury. But that still left 235 local governments that had never filed a report nor returned their pandemic relief funds. The GAO told The Associated Press it does not have list of the specific governments that haven't complied with the reporting requirements. The Treasury has not responded to an AP request for a list of the 13 governments that returned their funds and those that still haven't reported how they used it. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about governments failing to disclose how they used their pandemic relief funds. The GAO reported in October 2023 that the Treasury had sent noncompliance notices to more than 3,500 local governments that hadn't filed progress reports on their pandemic relief funds. The Treasury at that time declined to provide the noncompliance letters to the AP. So the AP in January 2024 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking copies of the noncompliance notices and related correspondence. The Treasury still has not fulfilled that request. In its most recent report, the GAO said the failure of local governments to file regular progress reports is limiting the Treasury's ability to determine whether they are spending the funds on allowable uses.
The Independent
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
US wants back millions in COVID relief from local governments over missing reports
The U.S. Treasury is seeking to recoup COVID-19 pandemic relief funds from hundreds of local governments that received millions of dollars but never complied with requirements to report how they used the money. The federal government distributed $350 billion to state, local, territorial and tribal governments as part of the American Rescue Plan approved by Congress and President Joe Biden in 2021. More than 30,000 governments, from the largest state to the tiniest town, were to get a share. Governments had until the end of 2024 to obligate the money for specific projects and were supposed to file either quarterly or annual progress reports, depending on their population and how much money they received. Most complied. But as of January, about 1,000 mostly smaller governments had failed to file any reports with the Treasury detailing how they used a total of $139 million, according to an analysis by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. A GAO report released last week said the Treasury sent notices to the local governments seeking to recoup the money. As of June 24, a total of 740 local governments subsequently filed reports and will no longer be subject to repaying their funds, the Treasury said in a letter attached to the GAO report. Thirteen governments returned their funds to the Treasury. But that still left 235 local governments that had never filed a report nor returned their pandemic relief funds. The GAO told The Associated Press it does not have list of the specific governments that haven't complied with the reporting requirements. The Treasury has not responded to an AP request for a list of the 13 governments that returned their funds and those that still haven't reported how they used it. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about governments failing to disclose how they used their pandemic relief funds. The GAO reported in October 2023 that the Treasury had sent noncompliance notices to more than 3,500 local governments that hadn't filed progress reports on their pandemic relief funds. The Treasury at that time declined to provide the noncompliance letters to the AP. So the AP in January 2024 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking copies of the noncompliance notices and related correspondence. The Treasury still has not fulfilled that request. In its most recent report, the GAO said the failure of local governments to file regular progress reports is limiting the Treasury's ability to determine whether they are spending the funds on allowable uses.
Washington Post
30-07-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
US wants back millions in COVID relief from local governments over missing reports
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Treasury is seeking to recoup COVID-19 pandemic relief funds from hundreds of local governments that received millions of dollars but never complied with requirements to report how they used the money. The federal government distributed $350 billion to state, local, territorial and tribal governments as part of the American Rescue Plan approved by Congress and President Joe Biden in 2021. More than 30,000 governments, from the largest state to the tiniest town, were to get a share. Governments had until the end of 2024 to obligate the money for specific projects and were supposed to file either quarterly or annual progress reports , depending on their population and how much money they received. Most complied. But as of January, about 1,000 mostly smaller governments had failed to file any reports with the Treasury detailing how they used a total of $139 million, according to an analysis by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. A GAO report released last week said the Treasury sent notices to the local governments seeking to recoup the money. As of June 24, a total of 740 local governments subsequently filed reports and will no longer be subject to repaying their funds, the Treasury said in a letter attached to the GAO report. Thirteen governments returned their funds to the Treasury. But that still left 235 local governments that had never filed a report nor returned their pandemic relief funds. The GAO told The Associated Press it does not have list of the specific governments that haven't complied with the reporting requirements. The Treasury has not responded to an AP request for a list of the 13 governments that returned their funds and those that still haven't reported how they used it. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about governments failing to disclose how they used their pandemic relief funds. The GAO reported in October 2023 that the Treasury had sent noncompliance notices to more than 3,500 local governments that hadn't filed progress reports on their pandemic relief funds. The Treasury at that time declined to provide the noncompliance letters to the AP. So the AP in January 2024 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking copies of the noncompliance notices and related correspondence. The Treasury still has not fulfilled that request. In its most recent report, the GAO said the failure of local governments to file regular progress reports is limiting the Treasury's ability to determine whether they are spending the funds on allowable uses.
Associated Press
30-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
US wants back millions in COVID relief from local governments over missing reports
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The U.S. Treasury is seeking to recoup COVID-19 pandemic relief funds from hundreds of local governments that received millions of dollars but never complied with requirements to report how they used the money. The federal government distributed $350 billion to state, local, territorial and tribal governments as part of the American Rescue Plan approved by Congress and President Joe Biden in 2021. More than 30,000 governments, from the largest state to the tiniest town, were to get a share. Governments had until the end of 2024 to obligate the money for specific projects and were supposed to file either quarterly or annual progress reports, depending on their population and how much money they received. Most complied. But as of January, about 1,000 mostly smaller governments had failed to file any reports with the Treasury detailing how they used a total of $139 million, according to an analysis by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. A GAO report released last week said the Treasury sent notices to the local governments seeking to recoup the money. As of June 24, a total of 740 local governments subsequently filed reports and will no longer be subject to repaying their funds, the Treasury said in a letter attached to the GAO report. Thirteen governments returned their funds to the Treasury. But that still left 235 local governments that had never filed a report nor returned their pandemic relief funds. The GAO told The Associated Press it does not have list of the specific governments that haven't complied with the reporting requirements. The Treasury has not responded to an AP request for a list of the 13 governments that returned their funds and those that still haven't reported how they used it. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about governments failing to disclose how they used their pandemic relief funds. The GAO reported in October 2023 that the Treasury had sent noncompliance notices to more than 3,500 local governments that hadn't filed progress reports on their pandemic relief funds. The Treasury at that time declined to provide the noncompliance letters to the AP. So the AP in January 2024 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking copies of the noncompliance notices and related correspondence. The Treasury still has not fulfilled that request. In its most recent report, the GAO said the failure of local governments to file regular progress reports is limiting the Treasury's ability to determine whether they are spending the funds on allowable uses.
