OC supervisors discuss allocation of $3.7 million recovered in Andrew Do scandal

The $3.7 million in discretionary funds that authorities have recovered from bank accounts connected to a fraud scheme involving former Supervisor Andrew Do could soon be earmarked to again benefit constituents of the county’s First District.

During an OC Board of Supervisors hearing on the proposed county budget for the upcoming fiscal year, First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen pushed to make sure the money is restored to the district’s discretionary funds account to be reinvested into community programs.

Nguyen, who won Do’s seat after his resignation, said the money should be used to specifically support residents who were deprived of services funded by the $10 million in pandemic relief money that Do had directed to nonprofits after receiving bribes. The funding was meant for meal programs that law enforcement officials later said were largely not delivered.

"These funds were recovered in connection with the Andrew Do corruption matter and should be returned to the benefit of the First District community that were deprived of the intended services and public benefits," Nguyen said.

Public comments lasted well over two hours, as more than three dozen speakers - including elected officials from Fountain Valley, Garden Grove and Huntington Beach - urged the supervisors to return the recovered funds to the First District. Many community leaders from Little Saigon spoke passionately in Vietnamese.

“Those dollars were meant to feed our seniors, to care for our neighbors living with disabilities,” Fountain Valley City Councilmember Ted Bui said. “They were promised to the families of the First District.”

Though no official vote was taken by the board on Tuesday, most of the supervisors agreed that Nguyen’s district should receive the funds.

Supervisor Doug Chaffee said it’s right for the money to be returned to the district, particularly given the financial fallout of the recent Garden Grove chemical tank crisis, which officials said Tuesday has cost the county at least $3 million.

“I know there’s been some issue that originally that money went out during COVID when there were different concerns,” Chaffee said, “but we just had another kind of disaster, and there’s a special need now, so it’s parallel to that in a way.”

Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said he’s supportive of the First District receiving the recovered money, but wanted to make sure that residents who belonged to the district before redistricting can benefit as well.

The First District now includes Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Westminster. But with redistricting in 2022, Santa Ana was moved out of the district and into the Second District now represented by Sarmiento.

“What is now District 1 is different to what was District 1 prior to when this was occurring,” Sarmiento said. “I just want to make sure that all those constituents are being addressed, but I am supportive that those dollars come back to benefit the needs of the residents.”

Do is serving a five-year sentence in federal prison for accepting more than $550,000 in bribes to steer $10 million in pandemic relief funds to two nonprofits. Most of the money went to Viet America Society and Hand-to-Hand Relief Organization Inc. to feed the elderly and disabled, but only only $1.4 million was spent on meals, according to Do's plea agreement in 2024. Authorities allege the majority of the funds were used to make lavish purchases and buy real estate.

In total, federal authorities have determined that the county is entitled to $8.8 million in forfeited assets.

The $3.7 million that has been returned to the county was seized from bank accounts and the sale of two properties tied to Do, including a $1 million North Tustin home bought by one of Do’s daughters.

The supervisors had discussed in March whether the money could be used to address pressing demands across the county, such as the multimillion-dollar liability from the Airport fire in 2024. The county has settled nearly 1,300 claims and paid out $133 million as of May 26. Separately, Cal Fire has sued to recoup $32 million in firefighting costs.

Nguyen addressed her colleagues’ concerns directly on Tuesday.

"If the situations were reversed, I know each of you would fight to the death for your district as well," Nguyen said. "What has happened in our district with the hazmat issue, I just want to make sure that we also help and continue to fight for recovery for these residents and make sure they’re made whole."

The decision on the $3.7 million will be made with the budget vote on June 23.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 5:52 PM.