Federal authorities have frozen Viet America Society’s bank accounts, forcing the nonprofit to immediately stop delivering free meals to the elderly from a Westminster restaurant, the charity’s attorney said Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Attorney Mark Rosen said authorities also put a hold on the accounts for Viet America Society President Peter Pham and Perfume River Restaurant and Lounge, which has been preparing the meals. Meals served at the restaurant will end Friday, he said.
The county has filed a civil lawsuit against Viet America Society and some of its leadership, accusing the nonprofit of embezzling millions of dollars intended for the nutrition gap program. First District Supervisor Andrew Do directed the funding to the nonprofit from his discretionary funds. On Friday, federal agents raided Pham’s home, a north Tustin house owned by Do, as well as a house purchased by Do’s daughter, Rhiannon, who previously worked for Viet America Society.
“As a result of the grandstanding by the county,” Rosen said, “people are going to starve.”
Supervisor Katrina Foley said in a text message that county staff can help connect residents to other services, such as enrolling in CalFresh.
Tammy Nguyen, 78, of Westminster said she and her husband, who is diabetic, have relied on the meals provided at Perfume River since the pandemic.
She was put on a waitlist with “a couple hundred people” to receive food deliveries, but in the meantime, she and a neighbor have been driving to Perfume River for their free lunches. Since her husband signed up for food deliveries early on, Nguyen said meals were being delivered to him twice a week.
Nguyen’s husband received a text message late Tuesday night from an unknown number saying that meal deliveries had stopped until further notice. No reason was provided.
“I don’t know what Mr. Do did, but what I know is it affected not only my benefit, but it affected a lot of people around here,” Nguyen said. “I live in a mobile home center, and a lot of people have been at home, not driving because of their ages, and low income, and they depend on food delivery.”
Viet America Society representatives have said the organization was providing the meals it was contracted to produce, though its paperwork was lacking. The organization missed deadlines to provide a federally required audit and other requested documentation to county officials.
“What the county has done is cut out services to the people who need it most,” Rosen said. “These programs have good intentions … and you have all the bean counters that come in later and want to make a name for themselves and demand every ‘I’ be dotted and ‘T’ be crossed.”
Nguyen’s daughter, Dina Nguyen of Garden Grove, said she is not concerned about politics, but is worried about how seniors in Do’s district will be affected.
“I don’t know what Supervisor Do did, or what’s going to become of it,” she said, “but our residents, especially our most vulnerable seniors and the disabled should not be the ones punished for that.”
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
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