In an announcement that has rippled through Orange County, founder Peter Anh Pham and his associate Thanh Huong Nguyen have been hit with a 15-count indictment for allegedly bribing a county supervisor to obtain a staggering $12 million in pandemic relief funds. United States Attorney Bill Essayli, in a statement reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, emphasized the nation grappling with COVID-19 while these individuals lined their pockets with money meant for the public's benefit.
The indictment implicates Pham, 65, in a scheme that exploited his relationship with former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Hoang Do. Do, who has since pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit bribery, used his position to funnel funds to Pham’s and Nguyen's organizations. According to the charges, the bulk of the relief money was spent on personal expenses and investments, rather than on supporting the community during the pandemic. Pham currently remains at large, avoiding justice, while Nguyen is set for an initial arraignment.
A close look at their operations reveals that Pham founded the non-profit Viet America Society (VAS) mere days after Do approved a $5 million federal funding allocation for a county nutrition program. This move set the stage for various contracts and beneficiary agreements that ultimately funneled millions to Pham and Nguyen’s control. Nguyen, an associate also from Santa Ana and 61 years old, is facing charges as well, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering, as detailed in the Justice Department's release.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer described the conspiracy as a "house of cards built on lies, betrayal, and insatiable greed." In an overarching betrayal of public trust, the community funds were instead reportedly used to satisfy personal debts and purchase real estate. In their attempts to cover their tracks, Pham and his associate allegedly laundered the money through various entities, including a Westminster-based company, D Air Conditioning Co. LLC, to disguise the origin of the funds.
If convicted, both Pham and Nguyen face up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud and money laundering count, with Pham potentially facing an additional 10 years for the bribery count. As the investigation by the FBI, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation, and IRS Criminal Investigation continues, this case remains a stark reminder of the vulnerability of public funds and the importance of vigilant oversight. The prosecution is being helmed by a team of attorneys from both the local and federal levels, as described in the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement.
