Audit Reveals Corruption in Andrew Do's County Contracts

Supervisors move to tighten spending policies after audit confirms Do's unethical dealings

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:07pm

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Orange County officials released the results of a forensic audit this week that showed former Supervisor Andrew Do steered county contracts to supporters, including his friend Peter Pham, who has been indicted by federal prosecutors. The audit prompted recommendations to tighten scrutiny and policies regarding discretionary spending by supervisors.

Why it matters

The audit findings expose a culture of corruption around Do's office, where he used his position to financially reward family, friends and donors through questionable contracts, undermining independent procurement processes and eroding public trust in government. This case highlights the need for stronger ethics reforms and whistleblower protections to prevent such abuses of power.

The details

The forensic audit, ordered by the Orange County Board of Supervisors in December 2024, focused on dozens of contracts tied to Do and Pham between January 2019 and August 2024. Auditors found evidence of 'unethical wheeling and dealing', including Do directing over $10 million in COVID-19 relief funds and county contracts to the Viet America Society, where his daughter Rhiannon was employed. Do also used the funds to pay for personal expenses like property taxes and credit card debt.

  • In June 2025, Andrew Do was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for bribery.
  • From 2021 to 2023, Do funneled over $10 million in county contracts to the Viet America Society.

The players

Andrew Do

Former Orange County Supervisor who is serving time in federal prison for bribery after using his position to steer county contracts to supporters.

Peter Pham

Friend of Andrew Do who ran the Viet America Society and was indicted by federal prosecutors, but remains a fugitive.

Rhiannon Do

Daughter of Andrew Do who was paid $224,000 by the Viet America Society while it received over $10 million in county contracts.

Doug Chaffee

Orange County Board Chairman who expressed concerns about the cost and value of further auditing.

Katrina Foley

Orange County Board Vice Chair who said the audit exposed Do's 'crony capitalist contracts' and the need for more competitive bidding and reduced corruption.

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What they’re saying

“We've already tightened up procurement policies. But I don't want to go endlessly spending taxpayer money if there's no way of recovering it.”

— Doug Chaffee, Orange County Board Chairman

“As expected, the most recent audit again exposes Andrew Do for habitually using his position of power to financially reward family, friends and donors through crony capitalist contracts at the expense of Orange County taxpayers.”

— Katrina Foley, Orange County Board Vice Chair

“For years I have known that Andrew Do was a criminal, acting as the Godfather of Little Saigon strong-arming political opponents and pressuring his minions to do more.”

— Janet Nguyen, Orange County Supervisor

What’s next

The Orange County Board of Supervisors will decide whether to proceed with the second phase of the forensic audit, which would analyze hundreds more contracts tied to Do.

The takeaway

This case highlights the urgent need for stronger ethics reforms, whistleblower protections, and tighter controls on discretionary spending by elected officials to prevent such blatant abuses of power and restore public trust in government.