California Politician Agrees to Resign, Plead Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy for Covid-Relief Scheme

A California Republican in local politics agreed to resign and plead guilty to accepting more than $550,000 in bribes between 2020 and 2023 as part of a conspiracy to funnel over $10 million in Covid-19 relief funds to a nonprofit connected to one of his daughters, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

As part of a plea deal with federal authorities, Orange County supervisor Andrew Do, 62, admitted guilt on one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and said he would step down from his position. He is due in court later this month and will face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison after making his guilty plea.

Do abused his power by voting in favor of and directing millions of dollars in state and federal Covid-related funds to Viet America Society (VAS), the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California said in a press release. He did not disclose the charity’s connections to his 23-year-old daughter, Rhiannon.

The funds were intended to provide meals for the elderly and needy, but they were instead used to benefit companies affiliated with VAS, Do’s family, other conspirators, and Do himself.

“This money was intended to provide meals to the people who needed most in our community,” U.S. attorney Martin Estrada said during a Tuesday press conference. “The scheme essentially functioned like Robin Hood in reverse.” Only 15 percent of $9.3 million in taxpayer dollars went toward feeding people in need, Estrada noted.

The scheme involved as much as $13.5 million in county funding, LAist first reported. The outlet started investigating the scandal last November and has followed the case ever since. The coverage prompted the launch of a federal probe.

“While millions of Americans were dying from COVID-19, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do was the fox in the hen house personified, raiding millions in federal pandemic relief funds and orchestrating the money intended to feed elderly and ailing residents to instead fill the pockets of insiders, himself and his loved ones all while portraying a public persona of a hometown hero guiding his constituents through the uncertainty and fear of a global pandemic,” Orange County district attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement.

“No one is above the law in Orange County,” he added, “and these charges should serve as a powerful warning to elected officials everywhere that actions have consequences and justice will be swift and it will be decisive.”

Do also agreed to forfeit any assets connected to the bribery scheme, including his daughter’s house in Tustin, Calif. Do funneled $381,500 of the funds for his daughter to buy the Tustin property, which Rhiannon agreed to forfeit as part of a diversion agreement with prosecutors. She filed a falsified mortgage application to purchase the house for $1.035 million last year.

FBI agents searched Rhiannon’s home, Do’s home, and other properties related to the federal investigation in August. Two years ago, the federal government seized more than $2.4 million from VAS and one of the unidentified companies benefiting from Do’s actions.