Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley announced on August 14, that the County of Orange initiated civil litigation (Case No. 30-2024-01418735-CU-BC-CJC) against Viet America Society, Peter Pham, Rhiannon Do, Aloha Financial, and others to recover millions of taxpayer dollars allegedly used by the defendants to purchase real property instead of their intended use to feed hungry seniors and build a Vietnam War Memorial.

“These allegations show blatant deception and greed by individuals motivated solely to enrich themselves. Thousands of elderly and disabled residents were deprived of millions of dollars of COVID–19 relief that the defendants instead used to purchase real property for their own personal financial benefit,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley. “The lawsuit filed by the County of Orange highlights rampant abuse of taxpayer funds to enrich well-connected insiders instead of feeding vulnerable seniors in the Vietnamese community or honoring our Vietnam War Veterans.”

On August 14, 2024, OC Supervisors Katrina Foley and Vicente Sarmiento demanded the County of Orange legal counsel take immediate and swift action to recover the unaccounted public funds from VAS and their principals through every legal avenue. Additionally, the Supervisors urged County, State, and Federal officials to investigate the improper use of funds from VAS and its principals.