Orange County sues nonprofit Viet America Society and Supervisor Andrew Do's daughter for alleged misuse of COVID funds

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — Orange County is suing a Huntington Beach nonprofit, claiming it misused millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds.

“I just think this is outrageous,” said Orange County Councilwoman Katrina Foley, demanding the return of tax money that was originally intended to support some of the county's most vulnerable residents.

“We wanted to make sure that people who are food insecure have something to eat,” Foley said.

The county has filed suit against the Viet America Society to recoup more than $13 million in COVID relief funds it says were misused. The nonprofit received the money through contracts to provide meals to elderly and disabled residents during the pandemic.

“They were not used for that purpose and they cannot prove they were used for that purpose,” Foley said.

The lawsuit alleges that the Viet America Society and its officers and employees “brazenly plundered these funds for their own personal gain” between 2020 and 2023.

The lawsuit also alleges that the organization allegedly used the money to purchase a home in Tustin and five other properties in Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Buena Park.

The lawsuit names several people, including Rhiannon Do, the daughter of Supervisor Andrew Do, who represents the district that was supposed to receive most of the money.

“The public trusts us with millions of dollars of their hard-earned taxes and we must steward those dollars well,” Foley said.

The Viet America Society could not be reached for comment on Friday.

“This is just about the worst possible misuse of public funds,” Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said in a statement.

He added: “If the allegations made in the complaints are true, Supervisor Do should consider resigning. The residents of the county have a right to answers.”

Eyewitness News met Supervisor Do outside the district office and pressed him for comment on the lawsuit against his daughter. He responded “no comment” and walked away.

In addition, the complaint, dated September 27, 2023, states that VAS entered into an agreement with the county to plan, build and maintain a Vietnam War memorial in Mile Square Park.

VAS received $1 million for the project.

The complaint states: “Not only did Defendants conspire to defraud the County and its residents based on food service contracts, but they also failed without justification to complete a Vietnam War Memorial as contracted and blatantly, egregiously and maliciously breached their obligations under all contracts as set forth in this complaint.”

“We are all now burdened with having to respond to this, having to focus on this issue, and now our county staff is burdened because we have to review all of our contracts,” Foley said. “We have to make sure this doesn't happen in any of our other contracts.”

It is up to the Orange County District Attorney's Office to determine whether crimes have been committed.

Eyewitness News has reached out to District Attorney Todd Spitzer, but he has not commented.