With guns drawn, federal agents execute a search warrant at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mark Rosen, attorney for the nonprofit Viet America Society, said agents also raided the Perfume River restaurant in Westminster, which was contracted by the charity to prepare meals for the nutrition program.
One of the homes raided Thursday was purchased by Do’s daughter, Rhiannon, who was formerly employed by Viet America Society.
Investigators from the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal division and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office conducted the searches, following the civil lawsuit filed by Orange County alleging Viet America Society misappropriated $10.4 million in COVID relief money directed to the charity by Do.
Attorney Craig Wilke, who represents Do, declined to comment when contacted Thursday outside the North Tustin home Do shares with his wife, Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge Cheri Pham. Do is not named in the county’s lawsuit.
Investigators could be seen loading boxes from the house.
Federal investigators were at the home of First District Supervisor Andrew Do on Thursday, Aug. 22. (Photo by Destiny Torres, Staff Writer)
Federal agents stand outside the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024, as they execute a search warrant. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Federal agents stand outside the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove as they wait to execute a search warrant on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Federal agents execute a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With guns drawn, a federal agent and local law enforcement stand by a side gate as a search warrant is executed at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Local law enforcement and federal agents stand outside the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove after executing a search warrant on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With gun in hand, a federal agent searches the garage of the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A federal agent stands by a side gate as a search warrant is executed at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Federal agents stand outside the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove as they wait to execute a search warrant on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Viet America Society President Peter Pham sits in his truck across from his Garden Grove home as federal agents execute a search warrant on his home on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With guns drawn, federal agents execute a search warrant at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With gun in hand, a federal agent stands by a side gate as a search warrant is executed at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With gun in hand, a federal agent searches the garage of the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Viet America Society President Peter Pham sits on the curb in front of his Garden Grove home as federal agents stand nearby as they wait to execute a search warrant on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A federal agent searches the garage of the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Viet America Society President Peter Pham speaks with a federal agent in front of his Garden Grove home as federal agents wait to execute a search warrant at his home on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Patrons eat lunch at the Perfume River Restaurant and Lounge inside the Asian Garden Mall in Westminster on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. The restaurant was raided by agents because it was contracted by Viet America Society to prepare meals for the nutrition program with COVID relief funds. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With guns drawn, federal agents execute a search warrant at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With guns drawn, federal agents execute a search warrant at the home of Peter Pham in Garden Grove on Thursday morning, Aug. 22, 2024. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Rhiannon Do, daughter of Supervisor Andrew Do, in Tustin. They are accused in a county lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Federal agents outside a Tustin property the county alleges Rhiannon Do, daughter of OC First District Supervisor Andrew Do, purchased with COVID-relief funds. (Photo by Michael Slaten, Staff Writer)
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Federal investigators were at the home of First District Supervisor Andrew Do on Thursday, Aug. 22. (Photo by Destiny Torres, Staff Writer)
Also searched was Do’s office in Huntington Beach, said a tenant in the same business plaza who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. The tenant said six FBI agents arrived in three unmarked vehicles shortly before 11:30 a.m. and immediately swarmed the first-floor office, removing a small stack of documents.
The law enforcement activity was unusual because the office, which includes a reception area with several chairs, a large, bare desk and numerous plaques, framed certificates and photos on the wall, is hardly ever occupied, said the tenant.
The county, in its civil lawsuit filed last week, alleged six properties in Buena Park, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Tustin were purchased between August 2021 and May 2024 with the COVID-relief funds. One home was purchased by Rhiannon Do, according to real estate documents, for $1.03 million in July 2023.
Do – who according to a Viet America Society tax filing earned $18,000 in 2022 – obtained a $621,000 loan for the house as a single woman. The down payment would have been $414,000.
Rhiannon Do was inside the house Thursday, but had not been interviewed, said one agent. Another agent could be heard on his cell phone saying they found a thumb drive, two hard drives, two laptops and an iPad.
Agents in the joint investigation also searched a home in Garden Grove that the county alleged Viet America Society president Peter Pham purchased with money diverted from pandemic relief funds.
Ciaran McEvoy, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, confirmed the raids.
“We’re executing a search warrant but we are declining to comment on (the) nature of investigation due to sealing order by the court,” McEvoy said. Kimberly Edds, spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney’s office, issued virtually the same statement.
The search on Andrew Do’s home was confirmed by IRS criminal division spokesperson Scott Villiard.
Peter Pham sat in a truck as investigators gathered across the street at his house. Pham said he feels the county turned its back on him after he served the community for years, providing free meals and mental health programs through Viet America Society. He denied using public tax dollars to buy the one-story house.
“I just received a little money from the county,” Pham said. “How can I (use) the money to buy this house?”
In the lawsuit filed last week, the county also accused Pham and Viet America Society of failing to complete a Vietnam War Memorial at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley despite being paid $1 million.
Pham said Thursday the monument was mostly done. And Rosen said $150,000 in unused funds were returned to the county.
“What are they talking about? The wall is already up, and now they still need to do the artwork,” Pham said as he watched agents scour through his house.
He said law enforcement officers showed up between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Thursday, and were waiting for a court-ordered search warrant to enter. They contacted Pham as he was leaving to go to work, he said.
As of noon Thursday, federal agents were removing items from Pham’s home.
At issue is $10.4 million directed to Viet America Society by Supervisor Do since 2020, through his district’s discretionary fund and his vote on the Board of Supervisors. Do did not disclose his daughter’s relation to the charity, which did not violate county policy or state conflict-of-interest law. But he has received much criticism and calls for his resignation.
Pham declined to answer any questions about Do, his daughter or any other defendants named in the county’s lawsuit.
Rosen had no other comment Thursday on the raids.
Supervisor Katrina Foley had earlier joined Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento in calling for a criminal investigation of Viet America Society and affiliated charity Hand to Hand Relief Organization, which also was sued by the county this week.
As investigators searched Thursday, Foley said she supported “law enforcement as they rigorously pursue the recovery of our public tax dollars from the blatant fraud and abuse by the individuals running VAS.”
“The concerns raised by our county staff were clearly warranted,” she added, “and I stand in support of all efforts to bring forward justice to our taxpayers.”
Sarmiento applauded the investigation.
“For almost a year I have been calling for investigations into this matter, so it is encouraging that investigative agencies are now working to get to the bottom of this,” said Sarmiento, who repeated his call for Do to consider stepping down if the allegations in the lawsuits are proven true.
The county’s lawsuit last week accused Viet America Society, Pham, Rhiannon Do and others of failing to feed the elderly as contracted and instead “plundering” the money to buy real estate and make lavish purchases. The lawsuit alleged the defendants used public tax dollars as their own bank accounts.
The charity missed multiple county deadlines to complete a federally required audit and provide documents proving the money was properly spent. After issuing demand letters ordering the charity to return at least part of the money, the county filed suit last week alleging fraud and seeking at least $10.4 million.
