Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has been caught in a corruption scandal after confessing to accepting bribes that exceed $550,000, in a plot to channel federal COVID-19 relief funds to a nonprofit tied to his daughter, federal officials announced Tuesday. Do is expected to plead guilty to a federal charge, as per a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, which relates to his involvement in directing millions to the Viet America Society, a charity where his daughter Rhiannon worked.
According to the Justice Department's release, Do's admission paints a picture of a man who flagrantly disregarded his office's ethical boundaries, trading his vote and influence on the county board for personal financial gain starting in 2020. The bribes ensured COVID-related funds would be awarded to the charity, despite a clear conflict of interest that was not disclosed appropriately to the public. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada described Do's actions as a betrayal, stating, "By putting his own interests over those of his constituents, the defendant sold his high office and betrayed the public’s trust," in a scheme that repurposed desperately needed pandemic aid for elder care into a private windfall.
Amongst the tangled web of illicit activities, Do also admitted that funds were diverted to purchase a home and pay personal expenses such as property tax and credit card bills. The complexity of the corruption extended to a deceitful loan application filled with falsified information, as uncovered by investigative agencies. Describing the corrupt practices, District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, "While millions of Americans were dying from COVID-19, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do was the fox in the hen house personified," the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California stated.
Authorities have already seized over $2.4 million in a step towards dismantling the financial gains achieved through the corruption. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison once the plea is entered, a sobering consequence of misusing public office for private enrichment.
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