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Orange County supervisors choose outside firm to audit contracts approved under Andrew Do
A public commenter addresses the Orange County Board of Supervisors back in January 2024.
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Nick Gerda
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LAist
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Orange County Supervisors launch an audit into possible corruption
The Orange County Board of Supervisors selected a firm today to audit some 2,500 contracts approved during disgraced former Supervisor Andrew Do’s time on the board.
What's the backstory?
Do is currently serving a five-year sentence in federal prison for accepting kickbacks in exchange for directing lucrative county contracts to a nonprofit associated with his adult daughter, Rhiannon Do. LAist first exposed the corruption, which Do publicly denied up until his indictment.
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Why now
Last December, after Do pleaded guilty to a felony bribery charge, the Board of Supervisors voted to hire an external firm to carry out a forensic audit of county contacts approved during Do’s tenure, going back to 2019.
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Weingart Center has been continuously out of compliance for nearly four years, according to an LAist review of records. Audits found multiple failures to properly account for taxpayer money. -
Critics say the current state-approved housing plan will make the city overcrowded. -
Families can get notified when services reach their area and whether they qualify.
The winning bid
The O.C. supervisors chose a Texas-based accounting firm to carry out the audit. It wasn’t the least expensive option at $1.4 million, but the firm did propose getting results in the least amount of time — less than a year. Supervisors said that was important so the information doesn’t get stale.
What will happen with the results?
The county has committed to releasing the results of the audit publicly and in phases, starting with the biggest and riskiest contracts. We’ll likely get those initial results early next year.
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Federal prosecutors say the longtime O.C. supervisor has agreed to plead guilty and resign in a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars meant to feed needy seniors, following a months-long LAist investigation and federal probe. -
A look back at LAist reporting that uncovered more than $13 million in public funds directed to a little-known nonprofit by Andrew Do, who did not disclose that his daughter Rhiannon Do held leadership roles with the group — which was not required by state law at the time. -
Then-Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do directed taxpayer dollars to a nonprofit to build the memorial. They later returned $150,000 after LAist questions. Now it's likely to be demolished.
Any further evidence of wrongdoing by Do or associates could get rolled into the county’s ongoing civil lawsuit against Do and associates in the hopes of recovering misspent funds. Supervisors said it also was important to identify the weak points that allowed the corruption to take place and anyone else who might have taken advantage of them.
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 regular meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors is Oct. 28 at 9:30 a.m. 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.
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Today, on Giving Tuesday, your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why on this Giving Tuesday, we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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