Orange County Audit Reveals Millions in COVID-Era Contracts Awarded Without Oversight
An audit of COVID-era contracts in Orange County has revealed that millions of dollars were awarded with little to no accounting for how the funds were spent. The report, released following the bribery conviction of former Supervisor Andrew Do, details…
Los Angeles, CA, August 13, 2026 —
An audit examining contracts awarded during the COVID-19 pandemic in Orange County has uncovered that millions of dollars were disbursed with minimal to no accountability regarding their expenditure. The findings were detailed in a report released in the aftermath of the bribery conviction of former Supervisor Andrew Do.
The audit specifically scrutinized contracts and grants that were reportedly directed by Do and another high-ranking county official. A significant concern highlighted by the report is that these funds were allocated without undergoing competitive bidding processes. This lack of competitive bidding raises questions about the procurement procedures and the justification for the chosen recipients of the funds.
The report indicates a broader issue of insufficient oversight during the pandemic period. It details instances where funds were either improperly allocated or lacked the necessary documentation to substantiate their use. This absence of proper record-keeping makes it difficult to ascertain the intended purpose and actual deployment of the awarded sums.
The former Supervisor Andrew Do’s bribery conviction preceded the release of this audit, suggesting a potential connection between the conduct under review and the legal proceedings. The specifics of the contracts, including the exact amounts, the recipients, and the nature of the services or grants, were not fully detailed in the summary provided, but the overall findings point to systemic weaknesses in financial controls during a critical period.
The lack of competitive bidding and the subsequent insufficient accounting for the funds represent a significant concern for public trust and fiscal responsibility. The implications of these findings are still being assessed, and further details regarding the specific contracts and the individuals involved are expected to emerge as the county addresses the audit’s conclusions.
Story summarized from the original created by Jill Replogle on laist.com, see more information here.
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