Topline:
A company accused of laundering millions of dollars in the corruption scheme involving former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is now suing him and his daughter for $15 million, according to court filings.
Why now? The complaint was filed this week by Aloha Financial Investment and alleges that Do falsely accused the company of bribery in his plea agreement, damaging the company's reputation and finances.
What else is in the suit? Aloha and its president, Thu Thao Thi Vu, claim in the filing that the $381,050 it paid to the former supervisor and his daughter Rhiannon was a loan and not a bribe to pay for the purchase of a home for Rhiannon Do in Tustin. Andrew Do’s attorney declined comment Thursday, and an attorney for his daughter did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Background: Do was sentenced to five years in prison after admitting he took hundreds of thousands in bribes from COVID relief funds — nearly $8 million of which were diverted from feeding needy seniors, according to his plea deal. LAist’s reporting sparked the criminal investigation that led to his prosecution.
Read on … for more on the unfolding legal action.
A company accused of laundering millions of dollars in the corruption scheme involving disgraced former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is now suing him and his daughter for $15 million, according to court filings.
The complaint was filed this week by Aloha Financial Investment and alleges that Do falsely accused the company of bribery in his plea agreement, damaging their reputation and finances. The claim, known as a cross-complaint, was filed within the county’s ongoing lawsuit against Aloha and the nonprofit Viet America Society, referred to as VAS.
The latest development hints at the legal wrangling still to come in the case that has rocked Orange County. You can read the complaint below.
Aloha and its president, Thu Thao Thi Vu, claim in the filing that the $381,000 it paid to the former supervisor and his daughter, Rhiannon, was a loan, not a bribe, to help purchase a Tustin home for the aspiring attorney. The complaint was first reported by the Orange County Register.
Aloha claims it issued the $381,050 loan “under pressure” from VAS — and had no idea of the scheme behind it. Had Aloha and Vu known the funds would be used as a bribe, they “would not have disbursed the funds,” the claim says.
What does Do have to say?
Do’s attorney declined to comment, and an attorney for his daughter did not respond to a phone call seeking comment Thursday.
A representative at the law office that filed the complaint said there would be no further comment at this time.
What does the complaint allege?
The complaint portrays Andrew Do as the architect of a complicated scheme to have Aloha provide the loan funds to daughter Rhiannon so that the ex-supervisor could benefit from the contracts he was routing to the nonprofit VAS. The complaint wants the judge to declare that the seizure of Aloha’s property and bank account money over the course of the case was caused by false claims made by Andrew Do.
VAS and Aloha were based out of the same house and office suite, according to their business registration filings.
Peter Pham, who led VAS, was charged in the Do scheme last month. He is now considered a fugitive from justice after fleeing to Taiwan in December on a one-way ticket, according to federal prosecutors.
Aloha was also doing business as Perfume River Restaurant and Lounge, located at the Asian Garden Mall in Westminster.
The county’s lawsuit alleges the restaurant submitted “questionable” invoices to VAS for meals. The restaurant has since closed.
Do was sentenced to five years in prison after admitting he took hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from COVID relief funds — nearly $8 million of which were diverted from feeding needy seniors, according to his plea deal.
LAist’s reporting sparked the criminal investigation that led to his prosecution and sentencing.
Aloha and Vu cross complaint
Go deeper
Millions are returned to taxpayers after judge finalizes forfeit of assets tied to OC corruption scandal (June 18)
Ex-OC supervisor Andrew Do sentenced to 5 years in prison over corruption scheme (June 9)
Prosecutors announce indictment of man whose nonprofit is at the center of the downfall of former OC supervisor (June 6)
LAist's Gillian Morán Pérez contributed to this report.
