Top aide to OC Supervisor resigns suddenly, the day after LAist reported on a lucrative contract involving his wife

Chris Wangsaporn, who served as Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do's chief of staff, is out, a county spokesperson confirmed Friday.

What we know

LAist reached out to county spokesperson Molly Nichelson Thursday evening to ask about Wangsaporn’s status. The next morning, Nichelson responded: “Chris Wangsaporn has separated from the County. We have no further comment.”

Supervisor Do, who represents District 1, is termed out of office early next year.

Wangsaporn did not immediately respond to a phone message requesting comment.

County officials provided a copy of Wangsaporn's email showing he submitted his resignation "effective immediately" at 4:52 p.m. Thursday.

Chris Wangsaporn's resignation email.

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Courtesy County of Orange

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The context

News of Wangasporn’s departure comes two days after LAist reported that his then-girlfriend, Josie Batres, was hired by a nonprofit, Mind OC, to carry out a $275,000 mental health contract funded by the county. County officials told LAist the county paid out the full contract, but none of the required work turned in to the county. Batres and Wangsaporn got married about one year into the two-year contract.

Multiple people briefed on the contract told LAist Supervisor Do told the nonprofit to hire Batres to do the work. The people who spoke with LAist about Do's alleged directive did so on the condition they not be named, saying it could compromise their careers.

Neither Batres nor Wangsaporn responded to multiple requests for comment about the contract. 

The backstory

Since last November, LAist has been reporting on millions of public funds directed by Supervisor Do to a different nonprofit, Viet America Society (VAS), where his daughter held leadership roles. LAist learned about the hiring of Batres in the course of reporting on overall questions about how contracts had been awarded and where that money had gone.

A federal grand jury has been investigating VAS, according to a public court filing reviewed by LAist. The nonprofit is at the center of swirling questions about what happened to millions in federal tax dollars earmarked to feed needy seniors. The filing sheds new light on an ongoing, highly secretive criminal investigation that briefly burst into public view on Aug. 22, when FBI and IRS agents searched homes owned by Supervisor Do, his daughter Rhiannon Do and Pham.

The local U.S. Attorney’s Office, which convened the grand jury according to the court filing, has declined to comment.

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. 18, LAist reported that a court filing confirmed a federal grand jury had been convened and subpoenas issued.

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