A federal grand jury indicted Oakland’s recalled Mayor Sheng Thao — a stunning development to a federal public corruption inquiry that touched the highest political levels of northern California's East Bay’s. The indictment caps a monthslong federal grand jury inquiry that shook the region’s political circles months ahead of a recall election targeting the first-term mayor. Thao was booted from office by more than 60 percent of voters in November, Governing reports. The development comes just a day after FBI agents raided the home of another East Bay politician, San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo, who, along with Thao, was among several officials who visited Vietnam as part of a trade delegation two years ago.
The nquiry burst into public view June 20 when agents with the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Postal Service raided four addresses across the city, including Thao’s home in the Oakland Hills that she shared with her partner, former City Hall council aide Andre Jones. Also raided were the homes and waterfront business offices of David and Andy Duong, the father-son duo who own and operate the city’s recycling contractor, California Waste Solutions . The raids sent shock waves throughout Oakland, leading to revelations of an alleged assassination attempt targeting a suspected FBI informant, alleged backroom election-season dealings and accusations of a sprawling “straw donor” scheme aimed at elevating politicians viewed as favorable to the Duongs and their recycling empire. Thao has proclaimed her innocence, declaring in a City Hall press conference days after the raids that “I will not be bullied,” while maintaining that “I am confident I will not be charged with a crime, because I am innocent.” Speaking through tears, she stressed the FBI’s investigation was “not about me,” while insinuating that the raids were somehow linked to the broader political forces seeking to remove her from office.