Former Oakland mayor Sheng Thao indicted on bribery charges

Oakland: So, it looks like things have taken a wild turn for Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland. She’s been indicted along with three others on some serious federal charges, including conspiracy and bribery. This all came to light after an investigation by the FBI and other agencies, which was announced just recently.

Thao isn’t alone in this mess. Her longtime partner, Andre Jones, and a father-son duo, David and Andy Duong, who run Cal Waste Solutions, are also facing charges. They’re accused of cooking up a scheme where Thao allegedly extended contracts to the Duongs and even helped them out with their business interests.

In return, the Duongs supposedly promised to pay Jones a hefty sum for “no-show” jobs and even funded a campaign against Thao’s opponent during the 2022 mayoral race. It’s a pretty tangled web they’ve woven.

There’s also a mysterious figure in the indictment, referred to as “Co-conspirator 1,” who was involved in the shady dealings before the election. It’s all pretty wild, and it raises some serious questions about trust in local government.

Patrick D Robbins from the US attorney’s office made it clear that the public needs to trust their elected officials. He emphasized that this trust was broken when they allegedly agreed to a pay-to-play system for their own gain.

This indictment comes just a few months after Thao was recalled by voters and not long after the FBI raided her home. Thao had denied any wrongdoing, claiming the timing of the raid was suspicious, especially since it happened right after the recall effort gained traction.

Thao’s attorney hasn’t commented yet, and Andy Duong’s lawyer is standing firm, saying the allegations against his client are baseless. He’s also pointed out that this situation seems to unfairly target Asian Americans in politics.

The investigation kicked off after tips were shared with the FBI from Oakland’s public ethics commission. The indictment reveals that the alleged scheme started just before the 2022 election, which Thao won by a narrow margin.

In a series of texts included in the indictment, it seems like the co-conspirator and Andy Duong were discussing some pretty shady deals, including Thao agreeing to buy housing units for a hefty price. After the election, things got even more suspicious with cash being funneled around, benefiting Thao indirectly through her partner.