Orange County officials have found that a nonprofit led on and off by O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s 22-year-old daughter has failed to prove it provided millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded meals to residents in need during the pandemic.
The allegations are contained in letters, which LAist obtained through public records requests, focusing on contracts totaling $4.2 million from late 2020 through May 2023. They were sent to Peter Pham, who founded Viet America Society, and issued by OC Community Resources — the county agency that oversaw the contracts.
Do directed the money to the nonprofit as part of coronavirus relief measures in his district, and did not publicly disclose his family connection when awarding millions to the group. Viet America Society was a little-known, newly-formed group at the time.
In letters dated Tuesday, the county demanded that Viet America Society provide proof within 30 days that it provided the meals, and records showing what happened with the money. And officials warned that the group could be forced to pay back the money if it doesn’t provide the evidence it provided the service.
“Documents provided do not demonstrate complete evidence of the number of meals delivered” and lack “evidence of the overall services delivered” under the contracts, state the letters.
The group has already had nearly a year to provide the records since the county first asked for them, according to the letters.
Other details, according to the county letters obtained by LAist:
[Click here to read the letters.]
Do’s daughter Rhiannon Do became a business partner with Pham starting in mid-2021, according to state registration records. She and Pham have been alternating signing as Viet America Society’s president since late 2022, according to county records.
LAist obtained the letters from the county after learning of them as part of the newsroom’s ongoing investigation into Do’s funding of the group with no disclosure publicly or to fellow supervisors, or to fellow supervisors, of his family ties.
Do, his daughter, and Pham did not respond to messages for comment.
In addition, LAist’s review of internal county documents obtained through a public records request show dramatic cost differences between what Viet America Society charged the county for meals compared to other vendors. (Note: the details were filed retroactively by Viet America Society, according to county spokespeople.)
As the pandemic raged in 2021, many seniors struggled to leave their homes to get food. Orange County officials knew help was needed and approved funding for meals to be delivered by local nonprofits.
Meals on Wheels Orange County charged taxpayers just under $10 per meal for lunches and dinners in 2021, according to its invoices. Viet America Society, charged $16 per meal at that time, according to the internal documents.
Other vendors, such as 2-1-1 Orange County and AgeWell Senior Services, also charged less per meal, according to an LAist review of county records.
For much of the spending, Viet America Society did not submit monthly disclosures detailing how many meals it provided, despite that being required under its contract. In contrast, invoices reviewed by LAist show the county’s other meal vendors were disclosing the number of meals provided each month.
In addition to the $4.2 million documented in the county letters as being under scrutiny, county records show Do directed another $5.2 million in meal funding to Viet America Society from December 2022 through August 2023.
How many meals were provided with that additional funding is unclear. County officials, Do and the nonprofit’s leaders have not provided answers after multiple requests by LAist.
Do’s chief of staff for external affairs, Van Tran, told LAist this week that he didn’t know how many meals were provided for the $5.2 million, all of which Do awarded while Tran has been working as his co-chief of staff.
“I don’t have any info or details,” Tran said.
Tran, who is running for Do’s seat on the board of supervisors in the March 5 primary, said his own role is focused more on being a liaison with local cities in Do’s district, rather than how county money is spent.
Do’s other chief of staff, Chris Wangsaporn, didn’t return a phone call and text message asking how many meals were provided.
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Viet America Society has been delinquent on its state nonprofit status since May 15, according to information the state Attorney General’s press office provided Thursday night in response to questions from LAist. That means the group cannot legally spend its charitable funds, according to a previous letter by the AG’s office to the group.
On Friday, the Attorney General's office issued a repeat delinquency notice to Viet America Society.
During its current delinquency period, Do has directed millions more taxpayer dollars to the group.
That included $3 million in county meal funding he provided Viet America Society in August, as well as $1 million in October to design and build a Vietnam War memorial at Mile Square Park. He also voted on May 23 to fund $2.5 million in subcontracts for Viet America Society to operate the county’s Vietnamese language mental health support hotline.
