Andrew Do overspent community event budget, leaving District 1 with financial constraints

Andrew Do overspent community event budget,       
Leaving District 1 with financial constraints

Former Supervisor Andrew Do’s misuse of public funds is impacting services that can be provided to constituents within the First District in this current fiscal year, resulting in cancellation of the county’s annual Tet Festival.

Do spent $152,250 of the First District’s $200,000 event budget on the Sept. 14, 2024 Moon Festival in Fountain Valley as he became the focus of an FBI investigation. He agreed to plead guilty to bribery conspiracy and resign.

“He spent almost everything he had before the newly elected Supervisor could be seated, making sure the county couldn’t give constituents a Tet Festival celebration in February,” Supervisor Janet Nguyen said. “This is another egregious example of Andrew Do putting himself above the needs of the community. Thankfully federal prosecutors have uncovered his illegal personal enrichment schemes and we are investigating much more.”

The FBI raided the homes of Do, his daughter Rhiannon Do, and other affiliated properties on Aug. 22, 2024 as the county accused him of misappropriating $10 million in COVID funds. In addition to this, records show he had questionable expenditures of his discretionary fund.

Records show he spent up to 10 times more on the 2024 Moon festival compared to prior years. The spending is as follows:

• $20,696 in 2022
• $44,509 in 2023
• $152,250 in 2024

For 2024, he spent $60,000 for entertainment with 2TMedia (owned by Trong Thang); $30,000 for advertisements with Radio Bolsa; $9,585 for mailers and banners with DTN Tech; and $50,000 for sound and lighting with Premier Production. Premier Production. Peter Pham’s non-profit Viet America was awarded millions in COVID funds directed by Do. He is also the focus of federal and local investigations.

Our office will be asking the county to launch an investigation into these expenses and whether the work was completed or another scam effort occurred against the taxpayers.

Additional unrelated spendings have left District 1 with just $14,900 to fund its community events, which needs to last until the next fiscal year beginning July 1.

“The Tet Festival commemorates our culture and it is one of the most important events of the year,” Supervisor Janet Nguyen said. “I’m saddened and outraged that the county cannot host this celebration like in past years because of the actions of Andrew Do and his selfishness.”

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Supervisor Janet Nguyen represents the First District of Orange County Board of Supervisors, which is the cities of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster and the unincorporated areas of Midway City and Rossmoor. Supervisor Nguyen served in the California State Senate, California State Assembly and as Orange County Supervisor and Garden Grove City Councilmember.