The Brief

One of the more striking aspects of the felony plea agreement signed by disgraced former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do was the involvement of his two adult daughters. Rhiannon Do, 23, made a deal with federal authorities to avoid prosecution for her role in a scheme to pilfer millions of taxpayer dollars meant to feed needy seniors. But little has been reported about Andrew Do’s other daughter, who also played a role in the fraud conspiracy, according to her father’s plea agreement.

Andrew Do’s elder daughter, Ilene Do, is not mentioned by name in the federal documents accompanying his guilty plea to a felony bribery charge, which he entered in late October.

At a news conference announcing the plea agreement, O.C. District Attorney Todd Spitzer said bribe payments had been made “to both of [Do’s] adult daughters.”

What federal documents say about Do’s other daughter

The plea agreement and accompanying documents signed by Andrew Do state that more than half a million dollars in taxpayer funds received by a nonprofit were funneled back to Do’s daughters. “DO Relative #1 and DO Relative #2 were defendant DO’s daughters,” federal prosecutors wrote.

The documents state that in addition to the money funneled to Rhiannon Do, Andrew Do’s “other daughter” also received $100,000 in taxpayer money as part of the bribery scheme.

It’s unclear whether authorities have taken or will take any action against the daughter identified as Relative #2 in the charging document and plea agreement. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Andrew Do would be responsible for paying back the $100,000 paid to Relative #2 as part of his restitution.

Dave Wiechert, an O.C.-based criminal defense lawyer who is representing Rhiannon Do, told LAist he is also representing Ilene Do. But he declined to comment for this story. LAist tried to reach Ilene Do via email and separate work and personal cell phone numbers for comment but did not receive a response.

So here’s what we know:

The documents state that Andrew Do’s co-conspirators agreed to pay bribes to the former supervisor through financial payments and favors to his daughters, including a total of $100,000 in payments to Relative #2.

The plea agreement details that four $25,000 checks went to Relative #2, “in exchange for defendant [Andrew Do] agreeing to steer, steering, agreeing to vote for, and voting in favor of the County contracts with VAS.” VAS stands for Viet America Society, the nonprofit at the center of a federal criminal case and an LAist investigation that uncovered public records showing Do directed more than $10 million in unaccounted for taxpayer funds to the group. The organization was founded by Peter Pham.

This past summer, county officials sued VAS, Peter Pham, Rhiannon Do and other leaders of the nonprofit, accusing them of an “illegal and fraudulent scheme” to divert federal COVID dollars that then-Supervisor Do directed to the group.

At least half of the taxpayer money given to Ilene Do was paid out in September and October 2022 in the form of deposits to her Citibank account, according to the federal documents.

Three of the checks to Relative #2 came from an air conditioning company that “Co-Conspirator #1” used to “funnel” bribes to the Do family, and one came directly from Co-Conspirator #1, according to the documents. Peter Pham’s attorney wrote in an October court filing that Peter Pham is Co-Conspirator #1.

Neither Peter Pham nor Ilene Do has been publicly charged in connection with the bribery scheme.

Some background basics

Ilene Do is the elder daughter of Andrew Do and Cheri Pham, the assistant presiding judge of Orange County Superior Court.

Ilene Do is in her late 20s. According to her public LinkedIn profile and other sources, here’s what we know about her school and work history:

Ilene Do earned her bachelor’s degree from Cal State Fullerton in 2018, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her profile also lists the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and Accounting Society as activities during her time at the university.

In 2021, she enrolled in an online master’s degree program in public administration offered by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was enrolled for two years, but did not complete the program, according to a university spokesperson.

Ilene Do once worked at a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Santa Ana, according to her LinkedIn profile. She started when she was 17, according to a former colleague at the coffee shop, Hannah Walker.

Walker said Ilene Do’s mother, Pham, was a regular at the coffee shop and had first inquired about a potential job for her daughter, who Walker said was getting ready to graduate from Beckman High School in Tustin. Ilene Do got the job, and worked there for nearly four years, according to her LinkedIn.

Home life

Walker said she became close to Ilene and would visit her and her family at their Tustin home. That location is noteworthy — Andrew Do was accused in multiple complaints to state and local authorities during his time in office of illegally living outside of District 1 where he was elected to represent residents on the O.C. Board of Supervisors.

He and Cheri Pham’s North Tustin home is in supervisorial District 3. They also owned a home in Westminster, which is located in District 1. According to Zillow and other public real estate websites, they sold the Westminster home in late August, days after federal agents searched their North Tustin home and a nearby home owned by daughter Rhiannon Do. The residency complaints against Andrew Do never resulted in criminal charges.

Walker described Ilene Do as “bubbly” and “sarcastic” with “a dry sense of humor.” She said Ilene Do was very proud of her sorority — “she talked about it all the time,” Walker said — and proud to be part of a prominent political family.

She remembered, some years back, Ilene Do being excited about the chance to appear on a float with her father — then one of Orange County’s most powerful elected officials — at a Tet Festival in L.A. County. She also remembered Ilene Do saying she “very much wanted to intern for the FBI.”

Recent work history

Ilene Do worked at the federal Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General from 2018 to 2020 as an investigative analyst, a spokesperson for the office confirmed. Her LinkedIn profile states that she “investigated fraudulent activities within the healthcare industry” at her job there.

Then, in 2021, Ilene Do began work as a customer engagement coordinator at Moulton Niguel Water District, according to the public employee salary database Transparent California and her LinkedIn profile. The Moulton Niguel Water District provides water and wastewater services to 170,000 customers in south O.C. Moulton Niguel has a little over 200 employees, according to a state Controller database.

It's also the same district where her father’s former chief of staff sits on the board of directors.

In 2023, Ilene Do earned $96,135 at the water district, according to the most recently available salary data from Transparent California. Compared to other jobs at the Moulton Niguel Water District, those wages are similar to those of an accountant or a senior electrical/instrumentation technician.

Ilene Do is no longer employed at the water district, Joone Kim-Lopez, general manager and CEO of the water district, told LAist in an email this week.

Andrew Do's former chief of staff Brian Probolsky has been an elected member of the water district’s board of directors since 2008. Probolsky was recently the focus of controversy swirling around the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA), the county’s green energy agency. LAist reporting found he was hired as the power authority’s CEO with no competitive process and no experience in the energy field. He was ousted from the job by the OCPA board in April 2023 after a series of damning audits citing lack of transparency in contracting, among other problems.

Probolsky won re-election to the water board in November.

Kim-Lopez, the water district CEO, had hoped to take over as CEO of Orange County when former CEO Frank Kim resigned last summer. Andrew Do was backing Kim-Lopez’s candidacy, according to a source who spoke to LAist on the condition that we not publish their name because the information was confidential.

Kim-Lopez confirmed to LAist in an email that she had applied for the job and said she didn’t know the status of the hiring process. She did not respond to an emailed question from LAist about whether Andrew Do had backed her candidacy.

Michelle Aguirre, the county’s former chief financial officer, is currently serving as the interim county CEO.

Andrew Do is scheduled to be sentenced in March on his plea to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Authorities say they continue to investigate the misuse of taxpayer funds directed by the former supervisor.

Nick Gerda contributed reporting to this story.

Catch up on the investigation

In November 2023, LAist began investigating how millions in public taxpayer dollars were spent. In total, LAist has uncovered public records showing more than $13 million in public money that was approved to a little-known nonprofit that records state was led on and off by Rhiannon Do. Most of that money was directed to the group by Supervisor Do outside of the public’s view and never appeared on public meeting agendas. He did not publicly disclose his family ties.

Much of the known funding came from federal coronavirus relief money.

• Read the story that launched the investigation: Top OC official helped direct millions to his daughter’s center without disclosing family connection
• Since LAist started reporting, we’ve also uncovered the group was two years overdue in completing a required audit into whether the meal funds were spent appropriately.
• And LAist found the amount of taxpayer money directed to the nonprofit was much larger than initially known. It totals at least $13.5 million in county funding — tallied from government records obtained and published by LAist. 
• After our reporting, O.C. officials wrote demand letters to the nonprofit saying millions in funding were unaccounted for. They warned the nonprofit that it could be forced to repay the funds.
• And, LAist found the nonprofit missed a deadline set by county officials to provide proof about how funding for meals were spent.
• On Aug. 2, LAist reported O.C. officials were demanding the refund of more than $3 million in public funds awarded by Do to VAS and another nonprofit, Hand to Hand.
• Six days later, LAist reported Orange County officials had expanded demands for refunds of millions in tax dollars from the nonprofits and threatened legal action.
• On Aug. 15, LAist reported O.C. officials sued VAS and its key officers and associated businesses, including Rhiannon Do. The lawsuit alleges that county money was illegally used to purchase five homes and was converted into cash through ATM transactions. 
• Then, on Aug. 19, LAist reported O.C. officials had announced a second lawsuit against Hand to Hand and its CEO to recover millions of taxpayer dollars that were directed by Supervisor Do.
• LAist broke the news on Aug. 22 that federal agents were searching Rhiannon Do's home in Tustin. Later that day, Supervisor Do's home, and other properties, were also raided.
• On Oct. 16, LAist reported that the wife of Supervisor Do's top aide was hired for a $275,000 contract. County officials say the work was never turned in and two days later LAist reported that a court filing confirmed a federal grand jury had been convened and subpoenas issued.
• Six days later, federal prosecutors announced Andrew Do had agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. They said Do accepted over $550,000 in bribes for directing and voting in favor of more than $10 million in COVID funds to VAS. He resigned as supervisor the same day.

How to watchdog your local government

One of the best things you can do to hold officials accountable is pay attention.

Your city council, board of supervisors, school board and more all hold public meetings that anybody can attend. These are times you can talk to your elected officials directly and hear about the policies they’re voting on that affect your community.

• Read tips on how to get involved.
• The next scheduled board meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 5. You can check out the O.C. Board of Supervisors full calendar here.
• Learn how to submit a public comment to the O.C. Board of Supervisors.

LAist reports on local issues for — and with — communities across Southern California, but chances are most readers have never spoken with a journalist before. Your stories and experiences power our reporting, so it’s important that people know what to expect when they speak with a reporter.

That’s what this guide is for.

Below are some tips from our newsroom on what to keep in mind when talking to a journalist.

Remember: You are the expert on your own life

Tell the story you want to tell about yourself.

Be honest. Truthfulness and facts are central to journalistic ethics.

Also know your worth. Reporters come to you for a reason. They may be intimidating because they have a mic or a camera, but you have a perspective they need. Media outlets also want to expand their audiences, and that includes you.

Common questions

How can I get a journalist’s attention?

Contact reporters by social media or send them a personal email — at LAist, contact information is available on our staff page. If you meet a reporter, get their business card. It will usually have a direct phone number to talk with them.

Will all my words be published?

Probably not. Journalists are often working with a limited word count or air time. They will likely use one short sound bite or quote from you. It’s also possible they will not use your interview at all. Reporters and their editors decide what will get published.

Can I see a copy of the story before it's published?

Probably not. It is against journalistic ethics to have sources review a story before it’s published. Imagine if a journalist were to do a piece about government corruption. You wouldn’t want the government agency to review the story and edit it. Editors review stories for accuracy.

When will the story be published?

It depends on the type of story. Some stories are short and may air on the radio or be published online the same day you talk to the reporter. Other times a reporter might work on a story for several weeks or months. It’s OK to follow up with the reporter who talked to you and ask when the story might be done and ask them to let you know where you can read or hear it.

Can I speak with a fact-checker?

You are welcome to ask reporters about their fact-checking process or how they make sure a story is accurate. Not all outlets have fact-checkers. If the story is an investigative story or a long-form or magazine format, designated fact-checkers are more common. At LAist, reporters and editors are responsible for verifying information.

What if I am asked about something that makes me feel uncomfortable?

Your story is your own and during an interview you have full control over what you say to a reporter. Answer questions in any way that makes you feel most comfortable, and you can always decline to answer a question.

What do I do if a reporter asks me about my immigration status?

You don't have to disclose your immigration status to a reporter. If it's directly relevant to the story, a trustworthy reporter will explain that and also tell you how they'd handle the information. You can decline to answer.

• More on how LAist handles this topic

How do I determine if the newsroom I'm speaking with has a specific point of view?

It's a great question and relates directly to media literacy — meaning how well you can spot misinformation, disinformation and bias. The reality is that we all have points of view. Here are some tools to check on where a publication falls across the political spectrum:

• FAIR's (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting), which describes itself as a "progressive media watchdog group" has this media literacy guide.
• PEW Research Center, which describes itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan nonadvocacy organization, has information on sources most popular with different political perspectives
• You should be able to find information on who funds the work on the site (corporations, individual owners, subscribers, members and so on).
• You can also check out this interactive chart tracking media outlets across the political spectrum (note that you may need a paid version to search smaller outlets). Ad Fontes Media, which describes itself as a "public benefit corporation" which they said means they are "a for-profit business with a stated public mission," has been publishing its analysis since 2018.

Is everything I say usable in a story?

You can come to an agreement with reporters ahead of the conversation about how your words can be used:

• “On the record”: This means that everything you say in your conversation with the journalist can be quoted, published and attributed back to you. By default, you should assume any exchange you have with a journalist is on the record unless you mutually agree otherwise. 
• “On background”: This means that you are sharing information with a journalist that can be referenced in a story, but is not directly attributed to you. 
• “Off the record”: This means that you are sharing information that is not for publication. People may share experiences or tips off the record if they want the journalist to be aware of the information but don’t want it mentioned in a story. Remember that “off the record” only counts if both you and the journalist agree to it. 

It's worth noting that different newsrooms may use these terms slightly differently. You should confirm with the reporter that you have as shared understanding of the meaning.

Do I need to pay to be in a news story? Can I get paid?

No and no. You will not pay or get paid to be in a news story because this is against journalistic ethics. Anyone who receives payment for a story could be swayed to bend the truth.

What if the reporter gets my story wrong?

If you feel that the reporter misrepresented your story, you can ask for a correction or an update to clarify a point. Reporters want to get the story right and they don't want to incorrect or misleading information to go unchecked. That said, corrections deal with information that is factually incorrect, so you should be ready to explain what was wrong and why. Under California law, you have 20 days to demand a correction and the publisher has to respond within a set period of time.

• More on California civil defamation claims and the definition of defamation.

How can I prepare for an interview?

Think about the main points you want to get across in your interview. What are the most critical things for the reporter to know? Some people like to organize their thoughts into three major points. If you are not used to telling your story, you may want to have a friend ask you some questions to practice. Depending on the story, a reporter may also ask if you have any pictures to share that they can use to help tell the story.

Get involved with LAist

Ask LAist reporters questions

You can reach out to LAist reporters through the contact information listed on their bios. All our editorial staff, including the teams reporting, editing and producing news, are listed here.

How else you can be a part of LAist's reporting

Aside from contacting journalists directly, you can share your story with LAist through short surveys and meeting us in person. Learn more here.

This guide was originally written by former LAist early childhood producer Stefanie Ritoper, with contributions from Mariana Dale. Cato Hernández and David Rodriguez also contributed to this guide. 

File this under things that could only happen in L.A.

Paradise Dynasty, the Singapore-based chain known for its signature eight-flavor xiao long bao, has teamed up with Burritos La Palma — the SoCal burrito institution whose birria de res recipe traces back over 45 years — to create a limited-edition birria soup dumpling. The Birria XLB will be available starting Monday (May 11) for a limited time at Paradise Dynasty locations.

I've eaten my weight in both soup dumplings and burritos, so naturally, I'm a fan of both.

Paradise Dynasty has been on a steady ascent as a major player in L.A.'s dumpling scene, with locations at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and The Americana at Brand in Glendale.

Meanwhile, Burritos La Palma — known for its simple, savory burritos and finely crafted flour tortillas — has been capturing hearts and stomachs since Alberto Bañuelos opened the first eatery in L.A. in 2012. It’s since grown to several spots across L.A. and Orange County, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand award in 2024 for its high-quality, Zacatecan-style handmade flour tortilla burritos at an affordable price.

How the collab came together

So what exactly is a birria soup dumpling? A delicate wrapper, lightly packed with tender birria de res — slow-braised beef stewed in chilies and spices — juicy, savory and gone in one bite.

It all began with a call from Paradise Dynasty, when Jason Kuo, district manager for Paradise Dynasty USA, reached out to Bañuelos, calling it, simply, a perfect match between the two dishes.

Kuo said the idea came straight from the community.

"When we started asking guests and people around us what flavor they would want to see in a soup dumpling, birria kept coming up again and again — it was very clear. If we're going to do birria, it has to be done right. Burritos La Palma was the first name that came to mind."

Bañuelos was "beyond thrilled" to have been approached.

"We come from a small town in Mexico, and to be able to elevate to the level of Paradise Dynasty and that culinary perfection, I can't even really put it into words," he said.

It took months of R&D to get the right consistency. Bañuelos said the process required dialing down the moisture and upping the spice potency and landed on serving a fresh red salsa with thin slivers of serrano peppers alongside — a riff on the black vinegar and pickled ginger traditionally served with soup dumplings.

The Birria XLB's juicy interior is part of what makes it work — the dish is served with a fresh, tomato-based salsa and slivers of serrano pepper in place of the traditional black vinegar and pickled ginger.

(

Katrina Frederick

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Courtesy Paradise Dynasty

)

How it tastes

I got a chance to try the dumplings ahead of the public launch and was struck by how well the combination worked. The juicy nature of birria is almost turbocharged in dumpling form, its savory, herbaceous flavors fully encapsulated in the thin skin, creating an exceptional texture in every bite. The dish hits even harder when dipped in the light tomato-based salsa — a rush of freshness that cuts through the richness, with a spike of heat from fresh serrano. (Feel free to skip the peppers if spice isn't your thing.)

But what's most impressive is how organic it all feels. This isn't fusion for fusion's sake — it's a natural meeting of two dishes that are deeply embedded in the Southern California diet, each playing to the other's strengths.

It feels like a logical meeting of the minds — birria and soup dumplings have both been part of L.A.'s culinary zeitgeist for the better part of a decade, and it makes sense that these worlds should collide.

When asked whether a collaboration like this could happen anywhere else, Bañuelos was quick: "It has to start in L.A. You just can't compete."

Where to try it

Nine Democratic House members from California are demanding information about how the Trump administration is treating unaccompanied migrant children who are pregnant and in federal custody. They’ve signed a letter, along with 39 other House Democrats, to Trump officials expressing their concern that the girls are not receiving adequate medical care or access to abortion.

The letter comes in the wake of an investigation by the California and Texas Newsrooms, public media collaboratives in those states. LAist is part of The California Newsroom.

The joint investigation found that the federal government is detaining pregnant migrant girls in a single group home in South Texas. Doctors and reproductive-health experts interviewed for the investigation said prenatal care is severely limited in that region.

The letter says the detention violates federal regulations because the children are “entitled to the full range of medical care, including reproductive health care.”

Rep. Gil Cisneros, who represents the central San Gabriel Valley, says he worries that pregnant migrants who are apprehended in California will be put at risk if they’re sent to a part of Texas that is short on obstetric care. Of particularly concern: High-risk pregnancies are common among minors.

“If they were in California," he said, "they would be able to have more choices of the type of health care that they would get when it comes to reproductive health care.”

Rep. Judy Chu, who represents the West San Gabriel Valley, wrote in a statement that “this administration is so intent on restricting abortion that it is using immigration detention as a tool to control these girls’ bodies.”

Mark Betancourt is a regular contributor to The California Newsroom. 

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating how the Los Angeles Unified School District responds to educators accused of sexual misconduct with students.

The department accuses the district of maintaining a policy that “automatically” reassigns teachers to other schools when they are accused of sexual misconduct with students and cites a 2024 agreement with the teachers union.

A Los Angeles Unified spokesperson wrote in a statement that it’s “not true” that staff being investigated for sexual misconduct are reassigned to other school sites.

“‘Reassignment’ typically means an employee is directed to remain at home and away from students and schools during an investigation,” the spokesperson wrote.

United Teachers Los Angeles called the DOE's accusations a “fundamental misunderstanding” of the district’s reassignment policy.

“[Employees] are not reassigned to another classroom or to any other setting where they would interact with students,” read a statement provided by the union. “This policy protects both students and staff and creates conditions for a thorough and appropriate investigation of allegations.”

What to expect from the federal investigation

The federal investigation, overseen by the department’s Office for Civil Rights, will assess whether the district’s policy violates Title IX, a law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Kimberly Richey, the assistant secretary for civil rights, wrote in a statement that Title IX requires schools to address claims of sexual misconduct in a “timely manner.”

“It is unconscionable that the district would simply ignore Title IX’s procedural requirements to protect teachers who cause life-changing harm to their kids,” Richey wrote. “The Trump administration will always fight to uphold the law, protect the safety of all students and restore common sense to our schools.”

The Trump administration also has recently targeted LAUSD's desegregation policy and transgender student protections.

Last year, the office failed to resolve any cases related to sexual harassment, sexual violence or racial harassment, according to a report released by Sen. Bernie Sanders in late April. Sanders is the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Education Committee.

In March 2025, the Trump administration pushed to cut over half of OCR’s nearly 600 staff members, which contributed to a growing backlog of cases. Those employees were placed on administrative leave pending the result of legal challenges, and many were later brought back.

The Education Department has also withheld records related to civil rights investigations, prompting a lawsuit from investigative nonprofit newsroom ProPublica.

What does LAUSD’s policy say? 

LAUSD protocol related to employee misconduct says administrators must remove accused employees from their classroom or worksite whenever there is a risk to the safety of students or staff.

The 110-page protocol document also lists several other requirements for allegations related to sexual misconduct, including contacting law enforcement and the agencies that license teachers.

“Los Angeles Unified takes all allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment with the utmost seriousness,” a spokesperson wrote in a statement. “Our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety, dignity and well-being of every student and staff member in our care.” The statement also said the district follows Title IX procedures and continuously reviews its policies, training and reporting systems.

The UTLA settlement outlines several circumstances where an employee can be reassigned, including a law enforcement investigation of misconduct, sexual harassment of a student, behavior toward a student perceived to be motivated by a sexual interest and communicating with a student for non-school-related purposes.

School employees are “mandated reporters” who must, by law, notify local law enforcement or child welfare agencies of suspected child abuse or neglect. California Attorney General Rob Bonta reminded K-12 school district leaders in late April of their legal obligation to prevent sexual misconduct and protect students.

How prevalent is sexual misconduct in California schools?

There have been few comprehensive studies of sexual misconduct in schools. A 2004 report to the Department of Education estimated 1-in-10 students experiences sexual misconduct, ranging from inappropriate comments to physical abuse.

A new California law requires schools to train students and staff to recognize and report misconduct and write new policies on “appropriate behavior.” It also will create a new database of educators credibly accused of abuse.

More than 1,000 lawsuits related to sexual abuse that date to the 1940s have been filed against California school districts since the enactment of a 2019 law that gave victims a three-year window to sue.

LAUSD has authorized $750 million in bonds to pay for sexual misconduct settlements related to suits stemming from the law.