Latest news with #VAS
Los Angeles Times
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Ex-O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do gets 5 years prison in bribery case
Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who resigned as part of a plea deal stemming from a bribery scheme involving disbursement of COVID-19 relief funds, was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison. Attorneys for Do, 62, were asking that he serve just shy of three years in federal prison. Five years was the maximum sentence available under the plea agreement. Prosecutors pushed for the maximum sentence. From 2020 through 2024, Do 'used his position as the supervisor for Orange County's First District to steer millions of dollars to his personal associates in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes,' prosecutors said in their sentencing brief. 'When the county and the nation were at their most vulnerable (during the COVID-19 pandemic), defendant saw an opportunity to exploit the chaos for his own benefit and, in so doing, betrayed the trust of hundreds of thousands of his constituents,' prosecutors said. 'The scheme was far-reaching and premeditated, and defendant had no qualms about pulling others into his criminal enterprise, including his own children.' Prosecutors argued that 'public corruption is a unique form of democratic sabotage,' and added, 'It can be more corrosive than overt violence in destabilizing democratic norms, because it operates subtly, behind closed doors, infecting institutions that are meant to embody impartiality.' The prosecutors argued Do earned harsher punishment for his corruption. Prosecutors wrote that U.S. District Judge James Selna 'should treat defendant's crimes not merely a theft or fraud by a public official, but as an assault on the very legitimacy of government,' prosecutors said. Do admitted in his plea agreement that in exchange for more than $550,000 in bribes, he cast votes on the Board of Supervisors beginning in 2020 that directed more than $10 million in COVID relief funds to the Viet America Society, where his daughter Rhiannon worked, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. When Do pleaded guilty in October, Selna told him he could face a stiffer sentence, but then it could be appealed. But Do waived all of his appeals and cannot withdraw the plea if the sentence does not exceed the five years. From 2021 to 2023, Do funneled more than $10 million in county contracts to VAS, prosecutors said. The money was part of a food-delivery program during the pandemic as well as a $1 million grant for a Vietnam War Memorial in Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, prosecutors said. Rhiannon worked for VAS and will be able to take advantage of a diversion program as part of her father's plea deal. Rhiannon Do was paid $8,000 monthly between September 2021 and February 2024, for a total of $224,000, prosecutors said. In July 2023, $381,500 from VAS was put in escrow so Rhiannon Do could buy a $1.035 million house in Tustin, prosecutors said. Do's other daughter received $100,000 in October 2022, prosecutors said. Do used $14,849 of the money to pay property tax for two properties in Orange County that he owned with his wife, Orange County Superior Court Judge Cheri Pham, prosecutors said. Do used another $15,000 to pay off credit card debt, prosecutors said. Do's 'bribery scheme with VAS was not only corrupt, it also turned out to be a fraud on the county as VAS was not providing the meals to elderly and disabled residents as it had promised,' prosecutors said. VAS 'only spent about 15% ($1.4 million) on providing meals,' they added. Prosecutors slammed Do for making online videos praising VAS and its owner as a 'selfless community hero.' Meanwhile, later Monday, a new co-defendant in the case — 61-year-old Thanh Huong Nguyen of Santa Ana — is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and concealment of money laundering. Nguyen was named in an indictment Wednesday that was unsealed Friday. Nguyen operated the Hand to Hand Relief Organization. Do's friend and associate Peter Anh Pham, 65, of Garden Grove, who ran VAS, was also indicted on single counts each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud bribery and six counts each of wire fraud and concealment of money laundering. But Pham's whereabouts are unknown and federal prosecutors say he is considered a fugitive. Probation officials recommended 48 months in prison for Do, but prosecutors said Do should get the five years because he 'literally sold out his most defenseless constituents for his own personal gain during a global medical emergency when they needed him for their very survival.' Prosecutors also faulted Do for choosing 'to involve his family in his crime, broadening the conspiracy and exposing them to prosecution. This was not only deceptive, it was strategic. It was not a spur-of-the-moment lapse of judgment, but a sustained effort to evade scrutiny through manipulation of personal relationships and familial trust.' Do's other daughter lost her job and Rhiannon Do 'faces consequences to her potential career as an attorney,' prosecutors said. Prosecutors also knocked Do for settling a Fair Political Practices Commission Complaint in 2017 for helping a political donor in pursuit of a government contract. Do's attorneys argued that he 'received no actual payment to himself — all significant funds were provided to his daughter Rhiannon Do,' and that he was 'willfully blinded to the violations by the desire to see benefit to his adult daughter, and his belief that his daughter was providing worthwhile services to those who provided the benefits to her.' Do, however, 'now recognizes how completely wrong he was in this catastrophic self-delusion,' his attorneys said. 'He has watched the complete destruction of his career, reputation, his life and that of his family,' his attorneys said. 'He apologized to his family, his community and former colleagues and to this court. In short, Andrew Do's life has been destroyed by his own acts.' He agreed to resign his post as supervisor, had his state bar license suspended, stopped working and volunteers his time to benefit the community, his attorneys said. Do also agrees that restitution should be between $550,000 and $730,500 and that the sale of the home in Tustin will go toward that, his attorneys said. Do's attorneys highlighted his service as a public defender and prosecutor as well as an elected official. His 'implicit agreement' to 'reward' Do for the contracts for VAS was not a 'quid-pro-quo' conspiracy, his attorneys argued. The corruption was limited to the dealings with VAS, his lawyers emphasized. 'All of this is important because it underscores that what we are dealing with here is a blind spot involving his daughters, and no way a pattern of corruption,' his attorneys said. Do's attorneys also recounted his history growing up and ultimately escaping war-torn Vietnam. Do said in a letter to Selna that he was born in Saigon during the Vietnam War and arrived in the United States when he was 12 years old and settled into a refugee camp in Alabama where his parents worked in a cotton mill. He said he and his siblings worked odd jobs in the neighborhood and 'learned to cope with the anti-immigrant and racist atmosphere that some, but not all, in the community expressed.'' His family moved to Garden Grove in 1976, where '11 of us shared a two-bedroom apartment,' he wrote. Do wrote in his letter, 'I am guilty. I am ashamed, and I fully admit the wrongs that I have done. I only ask that you look at the larger picture in evaluating my acts.' He added, 'In retrospect, I can't believe that I did not see the evil of allowing this nonprofit (whose money came from the county) to assist my daughter in purchasing a home. I was blinded by a father's seeing his daughter as being worth every penny of what they paid her. 'My daughter did, indeed, work hard for the nonprofit, and I am proud of the work she did. However, it is clear that I simply did not want to see the payments for what they were (a bribe) and now my bad judgment has derailed all that I had sought to achieve before I left public office.'
Finextra
27-05-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Visa names Antony Cahill as CEO of European operations
Visa (NYSE:V) announced today that it has appointed Antony Cahill as the new Regional President and Chief Executive Officer for its European operations, subject to regulatory approval. 0 A longtime banking executive and Visa veteran, Mr. Cahill will replace Charlotte Hogg, who is leaving Visa after eight years to pursue a new external opportunity. Mr. Cahill will be based in London and is expected to transition to his new role in early June. Since 2023, Mr. Cahill has served as President of Value-Added Services (VAS), responsible for designing, developing and delivering a global portfolio of 200+ products and solutions that power client growth and business performance. Under his leadership, VAS has rapidly grown into a $9B global business and has delivered revenue growth of more than 20% annually. He initially joined Visa in 2018 as Managing Director for Visa Europe and later became Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the region, where he oversaw all of Visa's client relationships across 38 European markets. Prior to joining Visa, Mr. Cahill served as Chief Operating Officer at National Australia Bank (NAB) where he spent eight years in senior roles. Earlier in his career Mr. Cahill spent 12 years at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ). 'We are grateful to Charlotte for all she has done to advance our business in Europe,' said Visa CEO Ryan McInerney. 'With Antony's experience in the region, deep understanding of the diversity and complexity of our markets and strong relationships with our partners, he is uniquely qualified to lead Visa Europe.' Oliver Jenkyn, Group President, Global Markets, remarked, 'Antony is a driven, high-impact leader who is well-positioned to help us continue to accelerate our business and capitalize on the enormous growth opportunity in the region.' Visa Europe Limited Board Chair Debbie Hewitt added, 'We could not be more delighted to welcome Antony back to Europe where he takes the helm of a healthy, thriving business. This is a testament to Charlotte's outstanding leadership. During her nearly eight years as CEO of Visa Europe, Charlotte significantly increased revenue in the region, expanded Visa's business, and grew its teams and market share in strategically important European markets including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. We thank her for her many contributions and wish her every success in this next chapter.' An internal search for Mr. Cahill's replacement has begun and the Company expects to name his successor shortly.
Business Upturn
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Visa Appoints Antony Cahill as Chief Executive Officer of European Operations
By Business Wire Published on May 27, 2025, 12:25 IST London, United Kingdom: Visa (NYSE:V) announced today that it has appointed Antony Cahill as the new Regional President and Chief Executive Officer for its European operations, subject to regulatory approval. A longtime banking executive and Visa veteran, Mr. Cahill will replace Charlotte Hogg, who is leaving Visa after eight years to pursue a new external opportunity. Mr. Cahill will be based in London and is expected to transition to his new role in early June. Since 2023, Mr. Cahill has served as President of Value-Added Services (VAS), responsible for designing, developing and delivering a global portfolio of 200+ products and solutions that power client growth and business performance. Under his leadership, VAS has rapidly grown into a $9B global business and has delivered revenue growth of more than 20% annually. He initially joined Visa in 2018 as Managing Director for Visa Europe and later became Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the region, where he oversaw all of Visa's client relationships across 38 European markets. Prior to joining Visa, Mr. Cahill served as Chief Operating Officer at National Australia Bank (NAB) where he spent eight years in senior roles. Earlier in his career Mr. Cahill spent 12 years at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ). 'We are grateful to Charlotte for all she has done to advance our business in Europe,' said Visa CEO Ryan McInerney. 'With Antony's experience in the region, deep understanding of the diversity and complexity of our markets and strong relationships with our partners, he is uniquely qualified to lead Visa Europe.' Oliver Jenkyn, Group President, Global Markets, remarked, 'Antony is a driven, high-impact leader who is well-positioned to help us continue to accelerate our business and capitalize on the enormous growth opportunity in the region.' Visa Europe Limited Board Chair Debbie Hewitt added, 'We could not be more delighted to welcome Antony back to Europe where he takes the helm of a healthy, thriving business. This is a testament to Charlotte's outstanding leadership. During her nearly eight years as CEO of Visa Europe, Charlotte significantly increased revenue in the region, expanded Visa's business, and grew its teams and market share in strategically important European markets including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. We thank her for her many contributions and wish her every success in this next chapter.' An internal search for Mr. Cahill's replacement has begun and the Company expects to name his successor shortly. About Visa Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at View source version on Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Business Wire is an American company that disseminates full-text press releases from thousands of companies and organizations worldwide to news media, financial markets, disclosure systems, investors, information web sites, databases, bloggers, social networks and other audiences.
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Visa Appoints Antony Cahill as Chief Executive Officer of European Operations
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visa (NYSE:V) announced today that it has appointed Antony Cahill as the new Regional President and Chief Executive Officer for its European operations, subject to regulatory approval. A longtime banking executive and Visa veteran, Mr. Cahill will replace Charlotte Hogg, who is leaving Visa after eight years to pursue a new external opportunity. Mr. Cahill will be based in London and is expected to transition to his new role in early June. Since 2023, Mr. Cahill has served as President of Value-Added Services (VAS), responsible for designing, developing and delivering a global portfolio of 200+ products and solutions that power client growth and business performance. Under his leadership, VAS has rapidly grown into a $9B global business and has delivered revenue growth of more than 20% annually. He initially joined Visa in 2018 as Managing Director for Visa Europe and later became Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the region, where he oversaw all of Visa's client relationships across 38 European markets. Prior to joining Visa, Mr. Cahill served as Chief Operating Officer at National Australia Bank (NAB) where he spent eight years in senior roles. Earlier in his career Mr. Cahill spent 12 years at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ). 'We are grateful to Charlotte for all she has done to advance our business in Europe,' said Visa CEO Ryan McInerney. 'With Antony's experience in the region, deep understanding of the diversity and complexity of our markets and strong relationships with our partners, he is uniquely qualified to lead Visa Europe.' Oliver Jenkyn, Group President, Global Markets, remarked, 'Antony is a driven, high-impact leader who is well-positioned to help us continue to accelerate our business and capitalize on the enormous growth opportunity in the region.' Visa Europe Limited Board Chair Debbie Hewitt added, 'We could not be more delighted to welcome Antony back to Europe where he takes the helm of a healthy, thriving business. This is a testament to Charlotte's outstanding leadership. During her nearly eight years as CEO of Visa Europe, Charlotte significantly increased revenue in the region, expanded Visa's business, and grew its teams and market share in strategically important European markets including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. We thank her for her many contributions and wish her every success in this next chapter.' An internal search for Mr. Cahill's replacement has begun and the Company expects to name his successor shortly. About Visa Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at
Time of India
12-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
VMC struggles to tackle stray cattle menace on city roads
Vijayawada: Anticipating stiff opposition and backlash from people, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) continues to overlook violators and cattle owners who leave their cattle on city roads, obstructing vehicular traffic and endangering the lives of vehicle the city grapples with the rampant stray cattle menace , the municipal corporation has decided to levy a Rs 10,000 fine against cattle owners for releasing their cattle on city roads. However, it was learnt that civic officials failed to collect Rs 10,000 from violators, and imposed fines below Rs 5,000. The cumulative total fine collected from violators over the last few years is less than Rs 2 lakh, according to VMC Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS) Dr BSS BSS Reddy told TOI that the stray cattle menace persists as cattle owners leave their dry cows on the roads while keeping milking cows inside their cattle sheds. He explained that the stray cattle problem largely persisted in the One-Town area, parts of Vijayawada West area, and BRTS Road in Satyanarayanapuram, where there is a significant number of Brahmin households who perform puja and give offerings to the veterinary official said that the municipal corporation has a cattle shed at Singh Nagar garbage transfer station where stray cattle, found on city roads, were shifted and released after the cattle owners paid fines. "The cattle shed available at Singh Nagar garbage transfer station is comparatively small and can accommodate just 30 cattle. Hence, the municipal officials abandon a majority of the stray cattle who keep wandering on city roads. To overcome this issue, the civic body proposed to construct a bigger cattle shed in the Kandrika area, and tenders have been floated for the same. However, works did not commence for the construction," the VAS official added.
