Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and three others charged with bribery in broad corruption probe

Responding to press questions and taunts from Thao’s critics on the courthouse steps, Thao’s lawyer criticized the role of an unnamed conspirator in the case, who he said provided the key evidence in the FBI file.

“The mayor looks forward to defending himself against these accusations, demonstrating that there is in fact no evidence to support these accusations,” said Jeff Tsai, Thao’s lawyer.

The indictment (PDF) alleges that Thao promised to take official action as mayor to benefit the Duong family in exchange for benefits for her and Jones. This included promising a commitment from the city of Oakland to purchase housing from the Duong family’s housing company, Evolutionary Homes, extending contracts with the Duong family’s recycling company and appointing top city ​​officials selected by the Duongs and the joint stock company. -conspirator, identified as “a local businessman”.

In exchange, the Duongs promised to pay $75,000 to finance negative mailers targeting Thao’s opponents in the mayoral election and to make $300,000 in direct payments to Jones for no-show jobs, according to the deed. ‘charge.

It has become clear that the FBI has been investigating this network of relationships since the FBI raided Thao’s home in June, as well as properties owned by the Duong family. The Duongs were the subject of a separate investigation by the Oakland Public Ethics Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission over an alleged straw donation scheme.

Financial records indicate that after Jones began receiving payments from the one unnamed conspirator, he began contributing to his and Thao’s monthly rent. Previously, Thao had paid those bills, the indictment states.

Lawyers for David and Andy Duong said the father and son were innocent of all charges. Andy Duong’s lawyer called the allegations “baseless” and stitched together by “gossip and speculation.”

“Unfortunately, Andy is now the latest in a long line of Asian Americans who are unfairly singled out and forced to pay the price for daring to be active in politics,” said Winston Chan , Andy Duong’s lawyer, told KQED in a statement. e-mail.

Thao and Jones will next appear in United States District Court on February 6. Jones will return Jan. 22 to resolve the question of whether he qualifies to be appointed attorney after saying he cannot afford a private attorney.

Thao, Jones and the Duongs face six counts, each carrying a maximum sentence of five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Andy Duong also faces an additional charge of making a false statement to a government agency, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Thao has repeatedly maintained her innocence and said federal officials told her lawyer she was not the focus of their investigation.

Thao’s short tenure as Oakland mayor ended in recall in November, decided by 65.3 percent of Oakland voters. Recall organizers blamed the city’s challenges — including crime, shuttered businesses and a multimillion-dollar budget deficit — on what they described as Thao’s incompetence.

In August 2023, Thao led a 50-person delegation of Port of Oakland officials and East Bay political players, including the Duongs and San Leandro Council Member Bryan Azevedo, to Vietnam. The trip was co-sponsored by the Vietnamese American Business Association, an organization founded by David Duong and headquartered in Oakland. The FBI searched Azevedo’s home Wednesday, but he was not named as a defendant in the indictment.

Thao said their goal was to invest in the city’s trade relations with Vietnam and announced that they met with the mayors of the main port cities, Ho Chi Minh and Haiphong, as well as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. At a press conference shortly after the trip, she announced that the port had signed a new memorandum of understanding with Long An International Port.