Former Oakland, California, Mayor Sheng Thao, who was recalled by voters in November, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on corruption charges.
In addition to Thao, the Justice Department also charged her boyfriend Andre Jones; the head of a local waste company, David Trung Duong; and Duong’s son, Andy Hung Duong.
In October 2022, Thao reportedly agreed to expand a city recycling services contract with California Waste Solutions, buy housing units from the Duongs and use her influence to help them.
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Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao stands next to her attorney after being indicted on corruption charges. (KTVU)
“Examples of promises Thao allegedly made include her agreement to purchase housing units from a company owned by the Duong family, her agreement to secure the renewal of a recycling services contract the city of Oakland had with a from David and Andy Duong’s companies. and her agreement to use influence to help appoint a senior city official to advance the Duongs’ business interests,” said U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins.
The Duongs made payments to Thao and Jones, including financing a $75,000 negative mailer campaign targeting her political rivals. Fox San Francisco reported. The Duongs also made $300,000 in payments to Thao and Jones, disguised as wages for a no-show job for Jones, federal prosecutors said.
According to court documents, the payments were made to make it appear that Jones had a legitimate job at the Duongs’ housing company to cover up the bribery.
Andre Jones, who is also charged in the indictment (KTVU)
After she was elected, Thao fulfilled her promise to use her influence to appoint an Oakland city official, selected by the Duongs, to protect the family’s business investments, authorities said.
“The indictment itself is chock-full of accusations, but not chock-full of evidence,” Thao’s attorney said Friday.
The indictment came months after the FBI raided a house linked to Thao.
Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, who was recalled last year, faces corruption charges. (Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
In a statement to Fox San Francisco, Andy Duong’s attorney Winston Chan said the allegations against his client are baseless.
“Despite the media frenzy of recent months, we have remained silent, hoping that through objective investigation, the government would rightly see that the allegations are baseless and fueled by nothing more than gossip and conjecture, cobbled together by the fabrications and delusions of those who lack all basic credibility,” Chan said.
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“But disappointingly, today Andy is the latest in a long line of Asian Americans who are unfairly singled out and forced to pay a price for their daring to be active in the political sphere,” he added. “We look forward to clearing his good name before the court and a jury of his peers.”
