The president of Viet America Society says the nonprofit has shut down, as he and others were seen Saturday morning, Sept. 14, clearing out one of its offices in Huntington Beach.
The offices were for Warner Wellness Center, a DBA of the nonprofit Viet America Society, which the county has accused in a civil lawsuit of embezzling millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed the elderly.
Viet America Society President Peter Pham said in a brief interview outside the Warner Wellness Center office that the nonprofit shut down a week ago.
Authorities have frozen its accounts, Pham said. “We’ve closed. I don’t have the money to pay for rent, to pay for anything.”
Pham and a few others were seen loading up vehicles with various office paraphernalia such as file cabinets, boxes and a printer.
Earlier this month, Viet America Society had ceased meal delivery and distribution because of the frozen accounts, according to information provided at the time by the group’s lawyer Mark Rosen.
The county filed the lawsuit against Viet America Society and some of its leadership in August, accusing the nonprofit of embezzling nearly $10 million intended for the nutrition gap program. First District Supervisor Andrew Do directed the funding to the nonprofit from his discretionary funds between 2020 and 2023 – he is not named in the lawsuit.
Late last month, 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.
Federal authorities have not commented on the purpose of the raids or on whether blocks have been placed on bank accounts.
Staff Writer Destiny Torres contributed to this report.
