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"title": "Ex-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao Is Going on Trial for Bribery: Here’s What You Need to Know",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>As former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> prepares to go to trial next week — accused of participating in an alleged bribery scheme with the owners of Oakland’s recycling contractor — a key debate is expected to loom over the proceedings: whether the prosecution’s star witness is telling the truth or if the government built its case on the claims of an unreliable informant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao, 41, her longtime partner, Andre Jones, 55, California Waste Solutions CEO David Duong, 68, and his son, Andy Duong, 37, face charges of bribery, conspiracy, and fraud. Andy Duong has also been charged with lying to the FBI. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao pledged favorable treatment to the Duongs’ businesses in exchange for a promise of $300,000 paid to Jones and negative political mailers in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each defendant has pleaded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">not guilty\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say they have copious evidence to prove the alleged scheme, including text messages, emails, Apple notes, taped phone calls and video recordings. But they’ll also be relying on the testimony of a key cooperating witness whose checkered past has become a primary focus of the defense. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheng Thao stands next to her attorney, Jeff Tsai, as he makes a statement outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, co-founded a housing company with the Duongs that’s at the center of the alleged conspiracy. He became an informant in the FBI’s investigation after a falling out with the family and has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged scheme. He’s expected to testify about his relationships with the defendants, as well as his role in the housing company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have raised questions about Juarez’s credibility and what they’ve described as his “decadeslong history of fraud” — including instances where they say he falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While primarily focused on the Duongs and their relationship with Thao, the prosecution has also exposed behind-the-scenes interactions between the family and other elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A list of high-profile politicians has been named as potential witnesses who could testify in the trial — including Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins and former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another elected official, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo, has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in a related case and is expected to take the stand as a government witness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jury selection begins Oct. 13 with opening statements planned immediately after. The trial is estimated to last around six weeks, wrapping up around Thanksgiving. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The alleged quid pro quo\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege that in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election, Thao, Jones and the Duongs began discussing a deal that would help get Thao elected and benefit the Duongs’ companies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the fall of 2022, the Duongs had recently gone into business with Juarez on Evolutionary Homes, a company that aimed to convert shipping containers into housing for people experiencing homelessness. The plan was to market the container units to local Bay Area governments. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao at the time was an Oakland City Council member running for mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-id=\"12103337\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Evolutionary Homes’ rendering of a proposed container home unit for people who are exiting homelessness. (Courtesy of Evolutionary Homes)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1805\" height=\"889\" data-id=\"12103161\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103161\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022.jpg 1805w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022-160x79.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022-1536x757.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1805px) 100vw, 1805px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot from the website Mario Juarez allegedly created to attack Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, accessed by the Wayback Machine on Nov. 7, 2022. (Courtesy of Wayback Machine)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege the Duongs agreed to finance campaign mailers that negatively portrayed Thao’s opponents in the race, Loren Taylor and Ignacio de la Fuente, and pay her longtime partner Jones $300,000 through a no-show job at Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In exchange, they say, Thao committed the city of Oakland to purchasing housing units from Evolutionary Homes and agreed to help appoint people hand-picked by the Duongs and Juarez to director-level city positions if she won the election. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Duongs’ recycling company, California Waste Solutions, already had a contract with Oakland to provide curbside recycling services, and Thao allegedly agreed that as mayor, she would also extend it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it became evident that Thao was going to win, prosecutors say Juarez texted Andy Duong, “So we may go to jail … But we are $100 million richer.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong allegedly replied, “Money buys everything.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"alignleft size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"758\" height=\"577\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/indictment-texts-6651ab1e.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/indictment-texts-6651ab1e.png 758w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/indictment-texts-6651ab1e-160x122.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 758px) 100vw, 758px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A text message exchange between Andy Duong and Mario Juarez, identified as Co-Conspirator 1, according to the federal indictment against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. (Courtesy of U.S. District Court)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In the months that followed, prosecutors say Juarez began paying Jones, together with money from David and Andy Duong. And they say the defendants began discussing how to expand their deal, with Jones being paid as much as $3 million if the city purchased 300 housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At one meeting, Thao allegedly proposed using Oakland’s emergency powers to make it easier for the city to buy the container houses outside of a typical competitive bidding process. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In March 2023, Juarez and Andy Duong began discussing Larry Gallegos as a potential candidate to serve in the city’s Department of Housing and Community Development — a position prosecutors say they believed would help further the Duongs’ businesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At their behest, prosecutors say Thao pressured the interim city administrator to appoint Gallegos. Despite the city administrator believing Gallegos didn’t have enough experience for the job, prosecutors say he appointed him interim deputy director of the department the following day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=v2%3A2PACX-1vTRnkCBK8-xyeC_U6_qwyM9Es3WzLEpRhXB-1oELWuROivaP70Gkh-ll0Dw4g8nEJIEUkVN774ITfpE&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&width=100%25&height=650\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But prosecutors say Thao’s relationship with the Duongs began taking a turn after she went on a trade delegation to Vietnam in late July and early August 2023 that was sponsored by a business association chaired by David Duong, and a reporter began asking questions about Azevedo’s suspected drug use and activity involving prostitutes on the trip. Thao’s staffers are expected to testify they heard her telling David Duong that if a story came out about inappropriate conduct on the trip, she could no longer work with him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several weeks later, prosecutors allege, David Duong, Andy Duong and Juarez met with an associate of the reporter at a restaurant in Livermore and gave the associate a check for $10,000, drawn from California Waste Solutions’ bank account, to kill the story. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By late November 2023, David Duong told his son and Juarez that Thao wasn’t ready to purchase the container homes and was waiting for another city or county government to order them first, prosecutors say. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103404\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103404\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong attends a private screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103403\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103403\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong talks with attendees after a private screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then, in May 2024, the relationship between Juarez and the Duongs imploded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Juarez’s version of events, he told police that a group of ten men at California Waste Solutions’ offices beat him up in an attack ordered by the Duongs. In the Duongs’ version, Juarez had failed to deliver on his end of the deal and had shown up at the office, demanding more money and “holding them for hours.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A little more than a month later, Juarez sat down for an interview with the FBI. Agents executed search warrants at Thao’s, David Duong’s and Andy Duong’s homes two weeks later. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The defense’s case\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys are expected to work to undermine Juarez’s credibility as a witness by pointing to what they have described as “a steady pattern of dishonesty and fraud.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In motions filed last year, defense attorneys argued that the FBI had relied heavily on Juarez’s claims to secure search warrants of their client’s property, without providing the full details of Juarez’s background to the judges who signed off on them. Evidence seized should be suppressed, they argued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attorneys wrote that Juarez had been sued approximately 33 times between 1992 and 2022, including numerous fraud cases involving former business partners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103158\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FBI agents raid a home on Maiden Lane where Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao allegedly lives in Oakland on Thursday, June 20, 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>They also described a documented “counter-attack history” — instances where Juarez alleged misconduct by others in response to accusations or lawsuits lodged against him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez, they said, “has repeatedly falsely accused business partners of crimes and other wrongdoing in efforts to escape liability for his own actions — just as he did here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one example cited by attorneys, Juarez filed a restraining order against a man who sued him in August 2011, claiming Juarez shorted him and his wife out of $220,000 they loaned him. A year earlier, Juarez filed a different restraining order against an attorney following an altercation inside a property in Oakland’s Fruitvale district. The attorney was representing Juarez’s landlord, who was trying to evict him and others from the property.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied the motions. But in a hearing several months later, she cautioned prosecutors that questions about Juarez’s credibility could pose a major issue for their case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You could have as your main witness someone who himself is a liar. That is the problem,” she said at the hearing in September. “What I can tell you is it is a huge mess, and if in fact there is fire where there’s so much smoke, then the jury gets to hear about the credibility of this individual.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">High-profile officials caught in defendants’ orbit\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While only one other elected official has been charged with participating in a related Evolutionary Homes bribery scheme to date, prosecutors have listed several high-profile East Bay politicians as potential witnesses in Thao’s case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say they plan to introduce evidence at trial showing that Juarez and Andy Duong also bribed former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo. In February, Azevedo \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty\u003c/a> in a related case that involved promises of kickback payments in exchange for ensuring the city of San Leandro purchased container home units from Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103155\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bryan Azevedo, San Leandro City Council member for District 2, during a council meeting on Aug. 2, 2025. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Government attorneys say they intend to show documents, recordings and witness testimony demonstrating that Andy Duong and Juarez had discussions with Oakland City Councilmembers Kevin Jenkins, Rebecca Kaplan, and Nikki Fortunato Bas — now an Alameda County supervisor — as well as Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, in furtherance of the charged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez, prosecutors say, will testify that he and Andy Duong discussed potential bribery deals with other city council members in San Leandro, Berkeley and Alameda. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez is also expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he took photos and recorded videos of politicians so he could later use them as leverage or blackmail. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103409\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks with KQED politics reporters Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer for Political Breakdown at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Nov. 7, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/20/ag-rob-bonta-told-he-was-in-compromising-video-amid-east-bay-corruption-probe/\">May 2024 letter\u003c/a> to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Juarez claimed Andy Duong had a recording of Bonta in “a compromising situation.” Court records show the FBI interviewed Bonta in September 2024 as part of the investigation into Thao and the Duongs. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065004/california-ag-rob-bonta-wont-rule-out-a-run-for-governor-amid-campaign-fund-questions\">Bonta told KQED\u003c/a> he spent $468,000 in legal fees so an attorney could guide him through that process.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Over a year ago, maybe 14 months ago, the federal government reached out to me and said that they thought I may have information that would be relevant to the investigation,” Bonta said. “Having never done this before, I wanted to make sure I had an attorney who could guide me through the process and ensure that I provided everything that could be helpful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked about the letter, Bonta told KQED he had received it, but said that “the reference to any video is absolutely not true. It’s false, and there is no video.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bonta has not been listed as a potential witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have filed transcripts, videos and audio recordings of phone calls with elected officials that FBI agents seized from Andy Duong’s phone, which appear to have been recorded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101387/sheng-thao-case-recordings-reveal-taped-phone-calls-fbi-informant-appearing-to-describe-bribes\">without the politicians’ knowledge\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two of them capture candid conversations in 2024 between Andy Duong and Jenkins, as well as with Bas, when she was president of the Oakland City Council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both politicians are included on the government’s list of potential witnesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also on the witness list is former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson, who Thao directed to tour Evolutionary Homes’ showroom in January 2024, according to the indictment. Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">resigned from his position with the city in May \u003c/a>amid a text messaging scandal that prosecutors attempted, unsuccessfully, to bar defense attorneys from asking about during the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other high-profile staffers who could be called to testify are Oakland’s current interim city administrator, Betsy Lake; former interim city administrators Harold Duffey and Steven Falk; Thao’s former chiefs of staff, Renia Webb and Leigh Hanson, as well as Brandon Harami, a former mayoral staffer who also worked on Thao’s 2022 campaign for mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other allegations \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Court filings in the case have described other alleged bribery beyond the specific scheme that prosecutors hope to prove at trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The jury will be permitted to view two October 2022 cell phone videos of what appears to be Juarez toasting the formation of Evolutionary Homes. Sitting in the California Waste Solutions conference room are members of the Duong family. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one of the videos, Juarez appears to describe payments the Duongs made in 2014 after winning the company’s recycling contract with the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQfb9Mw6Qsc\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a July court filing, prosecutors described the video, saying that Juarez is expected to testify that his comments were in reference to bribes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys either declined or did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the video. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Further allegations Juarez has made to the FBI about the Duongs paying elected officials are summarized in an August motion filed by attorneys representing David Duong. According to the filing, Juarez also told FBI investigators he had seen the Duongs delete evidence from a security system and that the family used vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys attempted to have those allegations excluded from the trial. That motion was denied.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the filing, Juarez said he saw a “line of people” at California Waste Solutions’ office “waiting to be paid cash” by David Duong.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> prepares to go to trial next week — accused of participating in an alleged bribery scheme with the owners of Oakland’s recycling contractor — a key debate is expected to loom over the proceedings: whether the prosecution’s star witness is telling the truth or if the government built its case on the claims of an unreliable informant. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> prepares to go to trial next week — accused of participating in an alleged bribery scheme with the owners of Oakland’s recycling contractor — a key debate is expected to loom over the proceedings: whether the prosecution’s star witness is telling the truth or if the government built its case on the claims of an unreliable informant. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao, 41, her longtime partner, Andre Jones, 55, California Waste Solutions CEO David Duong, 68, and his son, Andy Duong, 37, face charges of bribery, conspiracy, and fraud. Andy Duong has also been charged with lying to the FBI. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thao, 41, her longtime partner, Andre Jones, 55, California Waste Solutions CEO David Duong, 68, and his son, Andy Duong, 37, face charges of bribery, conspiracy, and fraud. Andy Duong has also been charged with lying to the FBI. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao pledged favorable treatment to the Duongs’ businesses in exchange for a promise of $300,000 paid to Jones and negative political mailers in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao pledged favorable treatment to the Duongs’ businesses in exchange for a promise of $300,000 paid to Jones and negative political mailers in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each defendant has pleaded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">not guilty\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each defendant has pleaded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">not guilty\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say they have copious evidence to prove the alleged scheme, including text messages, emails, Apple notes, taped phone calls and video recordings. But they’ll also be relying on the testimony of a key cooperating witness whose checkered past has become a primary focus of the defense. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say they have copious evidence to prove the alleged scheme, including text messages, emails, Apple notes, taped phone calls and video recordings. But they’ll also be relying on the testimony of a key cooperating witness whose checkered past has become a primary focus of the defense. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheng Thao stands next to her attorney, Jeff Tsai, as he makes a statement outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098349\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheng Thao stands next to her attorney, Jeff Tsai, as he makes a statement outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, co-founded a housing company with the Duongs that’s at the center of the alleged conspiracy. He became an informant in the FBI’s investigation after a falling out with the family and has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged scheme. He’s expected to testify about his relationships with the defendants, as well as his role in the housing company. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, co-founded a housing company with the Duongs that’s at the center of the alleged conspiracy. He became an informant in the FBI’s investigation after a falling out with the family and has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged scheme. He’s expected to testify about his relationships with the defendants, as well as his role in the housing company. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have raised questions about Juarez’s credibility and what they’ve described as his “decadeslong history of fraud” — including instances where they say he falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have raised questions about Juarez’s credibility and what they’ve described as his “decadeslong history of fraud” — including instances where they say he falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While primarily focused on the Duongs and their relationship with Thao, the prosecution has also exposed behind-the-scenes interactions between the family and other elected officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A list of high-profile politicians has been named as potential witnesses who could testify in the trial — including Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins and former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A list of high-profile politicians has been named as potential witnesses who could testify in the trial — including Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins and former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another elected official, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo, has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in a related case and is expected to take the stand as a government witness.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jury selection begins Oct. 13 with opening statements planned immediately after. The trial is estimated to last around six weeks, wrapping up around Thanksgiving. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jury selection begins Oct. 13 with opening statements planned immediately after. The trial is estimated to last around six weeks, wrapping up around Thanksgiving. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege that in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election, Thao, Jones and the Duongs began discussing a deal that would help get Thao elected and benefit the Duongs’ companies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege that in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election, Thao, Jones and the Duongs began discussing a deal that would help get Thao elected and benefit the Duongs’ companies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the fall of 2022, the Duongs had recently gone into business with Juarez on Evolutionary Homes, a company that aimed to convert shipping containers into housing for people experiencing homelessness. The plan was to market the container units to local Bay Area governments. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao at the time was an Oakland City Council member running for mayor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege the Duongs agreed to finance campaign mailers that negatively portrayed Thao’s opponents in the race, Loren Taylor and Ignacio de la Fuente, and pay her longtime partner Jones $300,000 through a no-show job at Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When it became evident that Thao was going to win, prosecutors say Juarez texted Andy Duong, “So we may go to jail … But we are $100 million richer.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At one meeting, Thao allegedly proposed using Oakland’s emergency powers to make it easier for the city to buy the container houses outside of a typical competitive bidding process. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But prosecutors say Thao’s relationship with the Duongs began taking a turn after she went on a trade delegation to Vietnam in late July and early August 2023 that was sponsored by a business association chaired by David Duong, and a reporter began asking questions about Azevedo’s suspected drug use and activity involving prostitutes on the trip. Thao’s staffers are expected to testify they heard her telling David Duong that if a story came out about inappropriate conduct on the trip, she could no longer work with him. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103404\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong attends a private screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Then, in May 2024, the relationship between Juarez and the Duongs imploded. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Juarez’s version of events, he told police that a group of ten men at California Waste Solutions’ offices beat him up in an attack ordered by the Duongs. In the Duongs’ version, Juarez had failed to deliver on his end of the deal and had shown up at the office, demanding more money and “holding them for hours.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A little more than a month later, Juarez sat down for an interview with the FBI. Agents executed search warrants at Thao’s, David Duong’s and Andy Duong’s homes two weeks later. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys are expected to work to undermine Juarez’s credibility as a witness by pointing to what they have described as “a steady pattern of dishonesty and fraud.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In motions filed last year, defense attorneys argued that the FBI had relied heavily on Juarez’s claims to secure search warrants of their client’s property, without providing the full details of Juarez’s background to the judges who signed off on them. Evidence seized should be suppressed, they argued. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The attorneys wrote that Juarez had been sued approximately 33 times between 1992 and 2022, including numerous fraud cases involving former business partners.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103158\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FBI agents raid a home on Maiden Lane where Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao allegedly lives in Oakland on Thursday, June 20, 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They also described a documented “counter-attack history” — instances where Juarez alleged misconduct by others in response to accusations or lawsuits lodged against him. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez, they said, “has repeatedly falsely accused business partners of crimes and other wrongdoing in efforts to escape liability for his own actions — just as he did here.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In one example cited by attorneys, Juarez filed a restraining order against a man who sued him in August 2011, claiming Juarez shorted him and his wife out of $220,000 they loaned him. A year earlier, Juarez filed a different restraining order against an attorney following an altercation inside a property in Oakland’s Fruitvale district. The attorney was representing Juarez’s landlord, who was trying to evict him and others from the property.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied the motions. But in a hearing several months later, she cautioned prosecutors that questions about Juarez’s credibility could pose a major issue for their case. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You could have as your main witness someone who himself is a liar. That is the problem,” she said at the hearing in September. “What I can tell you is it is a huge mess, and if in fact there is fire where there’s so much smoke, then the jury gets to hear about the credibility of this individual.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While only one other elected official has been charged with participating in a related Evolutionary Homes bribery scheme to date, prosecutors have listed several high-profile East Bay politicians as potential witnesses in Thao’s case. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say they plan to introduce evidence at trial showing that Juarez and Andy Duong also bribed former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo. In February, Azevedo \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty\u003c/a> in a related case that involved promises of kickback payments in exchange for ensuring the city of San Leandro purchased container home units from Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Government attorneys say they intend to show documents, recordings and witness testimony demonstrating that Andy Duong and Juarez had discussions with Oakland City Councilmembers Kevin Jenkins, Rebecca Kaplan, and Nikki Fortunato Bas — now an Alameda County supervisor — as well as Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, in furtherance of the charged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Government attorneys say they intend to show documents, recordings and witness testimony demonstrating that Andy Duong and Juarez had discussions with Oakland City Councilmembers Kevin Jenkins, Rebecca Kaplan, and Nikki Fortunato Bas — now an Alameda County supervisor — as well as Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, in furtherance of the charged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez, prosecutors say, will testify that he and Andy Duong discussed potential bribery deals with other city council members in San Leandro, Berkeley and Alameda. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez is also expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he took photos and recorded videos of politicians so he could later use them as leverage or blackmail. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103409\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks with KQED politics reporters Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer for Political Breakdown at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Nov. 7, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/20/ag-rob-bonta-told-he-was-in-compromising-video-amid-east-bay-corruption-probe/\">May 2024 letter\u003c/a> to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Juarez claimed Andy Duong had a recording of Bonta in “a compromising situation.” Court records show the FBI interviewed Bonta in September 2024 as part of the investigation into Thao and the Duongs. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065004/california-ag-rob-bonta-wont-rule-out-a-run-for-governor-amid-campaign-fund-questions\">Bonta told KQED\u003c/a> he spent $468,000 in legal fees so an attorney could guide him through that process.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/20/ag-rob-bonta-told-he-was-in-compromising-video-amid-east-bay-corruption-probe/\">May 2024 letter\u003c/a> to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Juarez claimed Andy Duong had a recording of Bonta in “a compromising situation.” Court records show the FBI interviewed Bonta in September 2024 as part of the investigation into Thao and the Duongs. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065004/california-ag-rob-bonta-wont-rule-out-a-run-for-governor-amid-campaign-fund-questions\">Bonta told KQED\u003c/a> he spent $468,000 in legal fees so an attorney could guide him through that process.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Over a year ago, maybe 14 months ago, the federal government reached out to me and said that they thought I may have information that would be relevant to the investigation,” Bonta said. “Having never done this before, I wanted to make sure I had an attorney who could guide me through the process and ensure that I provided everything that could be helpful.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When asked about the letter, Bonta told KQED he had received it, but said that “the reference to any video is absolutely not true. It’s false, and there is no video.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have filed transcripts, videos and audio recordings of phone calls with elected officials that FBI agents seized from Andy Duong’s phone, which appear to have been recorded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101387/sheng-thao-case-recordings-reveal-taped-phone-calls-fbi-informant-appearing-to-describe-bribes\">without the politicians’ knowledge\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have filed transcripts, videos and audio recordings of phone calls with elected officials that FBI agents seized from Andy Duong’s phone, which appear to have been recorded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101387/sheng-thao-case-recordings-reveal-taped-phone-calls-fbi-informant-appearing-to-describe-bribes\">without the politicians’ knowledge\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Two of them capture candid conversations in 2024 between Andy Duong and Jenkins, as well as with Bas, when she was president of the Oakland City Council. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Two of them capture candid conversations in 2024 between Andy Duong and Jenkins, as well as with Bas, when she was president of the Oakland City Council. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also on the witness list is former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson, who Thao directed to tour Evolutionary Homes’ showroom in January 2024, according to the indictment. Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">resigned from his position with the city in May \u003c/a>amid a text messaging scandal that prosecutors attempted, unsuccessfully, to bar defense attorneys from asking about during the trial. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Also on the witness list is former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson, who Thao directed to tour Evolutionary Homes’ showroom in January 2024, according to the indictment. Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">resigned from his position with the city in May \u003c/a>amid a text messaging scandal that prosecutors attempted, unsuccessfully, to bar defense attorneys from asking about during the trial. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other high-profile staffers who could be called to testify are Oakland’s current interim city administrator, Betsy Lake; former interim city administrators Harold Duffey and Steven Falk; Thao’s former chiefs of staff, Renia Webb and Leigh Hanson, as well as Brandon Harami, a former mayoral staffer who also worked on Thao’s 2022 campaign for mayor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other high-profile staffers who could be called to testify are Oakland’s current interim city administrator, Betsy Lake; former interim city administrators Harold Duffey and Steven Falk; Thao’s former chiefs of staff, Renia Webb and Leigh Hanson, as well as Brandon Harami, a former mayoral staffer who also worked on Thao’s 2022 campaign for mayor. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Court filings in the case have described other alleged bribery beyond the specific scheme that prosecutors hope to prove at trial. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The jury will be permitted to view two October 2022 cell phone videos of what appears to be Juarez toasting the formation of Evolutionary Homes. Sitting in the California Waste Solutions conference room are members of the Duong family. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The jury will be permitted to view two October 2022 cell phone videos of what appears to be Juarez toasting the formation of Evolutionary Homes. Sitting in the California Waste Solutions conference room are members of the Duong family. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In one of the videos, Juarez appears to describe payments the Duongs made in 2014 after winning the company’s recycling contract with the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a July court filing, prosecutors described the video, saying that Juarez is expected to testify that his comments were in reference to bribes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys either declined or did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the video. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Further allegations Juarez has made to the FBI about the Duongs paying elected officials are summarized in an August motion filed by attorneys representing David Duong. According to the filing, Juarez also told FBI investigators he had seen the Duongs delete evidence from a security system and that the family used vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Further allegations Juarez has made to the FBI about the Duongs paying elected officials are summarized in an August motion filed by attorneys representing David Duong. According to the filing, Juarez also told FBI investigators he had seen the Duongs delete evidence from a security system and that the family used vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the filing, Juarez said he saw a “line of people” at California Waste Solutions’ office “waiting to be paid cash” by David Duong.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Prosecutors say Thao used her position to benefit the city’s recycling contractor in exchange for money and negative political mailers.",
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"headline": "Ex-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao Is Going on Trial for Bribery: Here’s What You Need to Know",
"datePublished": "2026-10-08T04:00:00-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> prepares to go to trial next week — accused of participating in an alleged bribery scheme with the owners of Oakland’s recycling contractor — a key debate is expected to loom over the proceedings: whether the prosecution’s star witness is telling the truth or if the government built its case on the claims of an unreliable informant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao, 41, her longtime partner, Andre Jones, 55, California Waste Solutions CEO David Duong, 68, and his son, Andy Duong, 37, face charges of bribery, conspiracy, and fraud. Andy Duong has also been charged with lying to the FBI. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao pledged favorable treatment to the Duongs’ businesses in exchange for a promise of $300,000 paid to Jones and negative political mailers in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each defendant has pleaded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">not guilty\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say they have copious evidence to prove the alleged scheme, including text messages, emails, Apple notes, taped phone calls and video recordings. But they’ll also be relying on the testimony of a key cooperating witness whose checkered past has become a primary focus of the defense. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheng Thao stands next to her attorney, Jeff Tsai, as he makes a statement outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, co-founded a housing company with the Duongs that’s at the center of the alleged conspiracy. He became an informant in the FBI’s investigation after a falling out with the family and has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged scheme. He’s expected to testify about his relationships with the defendants, as well as his role in the housing company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have raised questions about Juarez’s credibility and what they’ve described as his “decadeslong history of fraud” — including instances where they say he falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While primarily focused on the Duongs and their relationship with Thao, the prosecution has also exposed behind-the-scenes interactions between the family and other elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A list of high-profile politicians has been named as potential witnesses who could testify in the trial — including Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins and former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another elected official, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo, has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in a related case and is expected to take the stand as a government witness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jury selection begins Oct. 13 with opening statements planned immediately after. The trial is estimated to last around six weeks, wrapping up around Thanksgiving. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The alleged quid pro quo\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege that in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election, Thao, Jones and the Duongs began discussing a deal that would help get Thao elected and benefit the Duongs’ companies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the fall of 2022, the Duongs had recently gone into business with Juarez on Evolutionary Homes, a company that aimed to convert shipping containers into housing for people experiencing homelessness. The plan was to market the container units to local Bay Area governments. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao at the time was an Oakland City Council member running for mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-id=\"12103337\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Evolutionary Homes’ rendering of a proposed container home unit for people who are exiting homelessness. (Courtesy of Evolutionary Homes)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1805\" height=\"889\" data-id=\"12103161\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103161\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022.jpg 1805w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022-160x79.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/TaylorFraud-website-screenshot_2_accessed-via-WayBackMachine_11-07-2022-1536x757.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1805px) 100vw, 1805px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot from the website Mario Juarez allegedly created to attack Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, accessed by the Wayback Machine on Nov. 7, 2022. (Courtesy of Wayback Machine)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege the Duongs agreed to finance campaign mailers that negatively portrayed Thao’s opponents in the race, Loren Taylor and Ignacio de la Fuente, and pay her longtime partner Jones $300,000 through a no-show job at Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In exchange, they say, Thao committed the city of Oakland to purchasing housing units from Evolutionary Homes and agreed to help appoint people hand-picked by the Duongs and Juarez to director-level city positions if she won the election. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Duongs’ recycling company, California Waste Solutions, already had a contract with Oakland to provide curbside recycling services, and Thao allegedly agreed that as mayor, she would also extend it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it became evident that Thao was going to win, prosecutors say Juarez texted Andy Duong, “So we may go to jail … But we are $100 million richer.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong allegedly replied, “Money buys everything.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"alignleft size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"758\" height=\"577\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/indictment-texts-6651ab1e.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/indictment-texts-6651ab1e.png 758w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/indictment-texts-6651ab1e-160x122.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 758px) 100vw, 758px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A text message exchange between Andy Duong and Mario Juarez, identified as Co-Conspirator 1, according to the federal indictment against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. (Courtesy of U.S. District Court)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In the months that followed, prosecutors say Juarez began paying Jones, together with money from David and Andy Duong. And they say the defendants began discussing how to expand their deal, with Jones being paid as much as $3 million if the city purchased 300 housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At one meeting, Thao allegedly proposed using Oakland’s emergency powers to make it easier for the city to buy the container houses outside of a typical competitive bidding process. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In March 2023, Juarez and Andy Duong began discussing Larry Gallegos as a potential candidate to serve in the city’s Department of Housing and Community Development — a position prosecutors say they believed would help further the Duongs’ businesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At their behest, prosecutors say Thao pressured the interim city administrator to appoint Gallegos. Despite the city administrator believing Gallegos didn’t have enough experience for the job, prosecutors say he appointed him interim deputy director of the department the following day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=v2%3A2PACX-1vTRnkCBK8-xyeC_U6_qwyM9Es3WzLEpRhXB-1oELWuROivaP70Gkh-ll0Dw4g8nEJIEUkVN774ITfpE&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&width=100%25&height=650\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But prosecutors say Thao’s relationship with the Duongs began taking a turn after she went on a trade delegation to Vietnam in late July and early August 2023 that was sponsored by a business association chaired by David Duong, and a reporter began asking questions about Azevedo’s suspected drug use and activity involving prostitutes on the trip. Thao’s staffers are expected to testify they heard her telling David Duong that if a story came out about inappropriate conduct on the trip, she could no longer work with him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several weeks later, prosecutors allege, David Duong, Andy Duong and Juarez met with an associate of the reporter at a restaurant in Livermore and gave the associate a check for $10,000, drawn from California Waste Solutions’ bank account, to kill the story. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By late November 2023, David Duong told his son and Juarez that Thao wasn’t ready to purchase the container homes and was waiting for another city or county government to order them first, prosecutors say. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103404\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103404\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong attends a private screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103403\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103403\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong talks with attendees after a private screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then, in May 2024, the relationship between Juarez and the Duongs imploded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Juarez’s version of events, he told police that a group of ten men at California Waste Solutions’ offices beat him up in an attack ordered by the Duongs. In the Duongs’ version, Juarez had failed to deliver on his end of the deal and had shown up at the office, demanding more money and “holding them for hours.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A little more than a month later, Juarez sat down for an interview with the FBI. Agents executed search warrants at Thao’s, David Duong’s and Andy Duong’s homes two weeks later. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The defense’s case\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys are expected to work to undermine Juarez’s credibility as a witness by pointing to what they have described as “a steady pattern of dishonesty and fraud.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In motions filed last year, defense attorneys argued that the FBI had relied heavily on Juarez’s claims to secure search warrants of their client’s property, without providing the full details of Juarez’s background to the judges who signed off on them. Evidence seized should be suppressed, they argued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attorneys wrote that Juarez had been sued approximately 33 times between 1992 and 2022, including numerous fraud cases involving former business partners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103158\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260903-ShengThaoTrial-21-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FBI agents raid a home on Maiden Lane where Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao allegedly lives in Oakland on Thursday, June 20, 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>They also described a documented “counter-attack history” — instances where Juarez alleged misconduct by others in response to accusations or lawsuits lodged against him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez, they said, “has repeatedly falsely accused business partners of crimes and other wrongdoing in efforts to escape liability for his own actions — just as he did here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one example cited by attorneys, Juarez filed a restraining order against a man who sued him in August 2011, claiming Juarez shorted him and his wife out of $220,000 they loaned him. A year earlier, Juarez filed a different restraining order against an attorney following an altercation inside a property in Oakland’s Fruitvale district. The attorney was representing Juarez’s landlord, who was trying to evict him and others from the property.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied the motions. But in a hearing several months later, she cautioned prosecutors that questions about Juarez’s credibility could pose a major issue for their case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You could have as your main witness someone who himself is a liar. That is the problem,” she said at the hearing in September. “What I can tell you is it is a huge mess, and if in fact there is fire where there’s so much smoke, then the jury gets to hear about the credibility of this individual.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">High-profile officials caught in defendants’ orbit\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While only one other elected official has been charged with participating in a related Evolutionary Homes bribery scheme to date, prosecutors have listed several high-profile East Bay politicians as potential witnesses in Thao’s case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say they plan to introduce evidence at trial showing that Juarez and Andy Duong also bribed former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo. In February, Azevedo \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty\u003c/a> in a related case that involved promises of kickback payments in exchange for ensuring the city of San Leandro purchased container home units from Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103155\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/250902_SanLeandroCityHall_GH-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bryan Azevedo, San Leandro City Council member for District 2, during a council meeting on Aug. 2, 2025. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Government attorneys say they intend to show documents, recordings and witness testimony demonstrating that Andy Duong and Juarez had discussions with Oakland City Councilmembers Kevin Jenkins, Rebecca Kaplan, and Nikki Fortunato Bas — now an Alameda County supervisor — as well as Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, in furtherance of the charged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez, prosecutors say, will testify that he and Andy Duong discussed potential bribery deals with other city council members in San Leandro, Berkeley and Alameda. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez is also expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he took photos and recorded videos of politicians so he could later use them as leverage or blackmail. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103409\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/241107-AttorneyGeneralBonta-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks with KQED politics reporters Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer for Political Breakdown at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Nov. 7, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/20/ag-rob-bonta-told-he-was-in-compromising-video-amid-east-bay-corruption-probe/\">May 2024 letter\u003c/a> to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Juarez claimed Andy Duong had a recording of Bonta in “a compromising situation.” Court records show the FBI interviewed Bonta in September 2024 as part of the investigation into Thao and the Duongs. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065004/california-ag-rob-bonta-wont-rule-out-a-run-for-governor-amid-campaign-fund-questions\">Bonta told KQED\u003c/a> he spent $468,000 in legal fees so an attorney could guide him through that process.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Over a year ago, maybe 14 months ago, the federal government reached out to me and said that they thought I may have information that would be relevant to the investigation,” Bonta said. “Having never done this before, I wanted to make sure I had an attorney who could guide me through the process and ensure that I provided everything that could be helpful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked about the letter, Bonta told KQED he had received it, but said that “the reference to any video is absolutely not true. It’s false, and there is no video.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bonta has not been listed as a potential witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have filed transcripts, videos and audio recordings of phone calls with elected officials that FBI agents seized from Andy Duong’s phone, which appear to have been recorded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101387/sheng-thao-case-recordings-reveal-taped-phone-calls-fbi-informant-appearing-to-describe-bribes\">without the politicians’ knowledge\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two of them capture candid conversations in 2024 between Andy Duong and Jenkins, as well as with Bas, when she was president of the Oakland City Council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both politicians are included on the government’s list of potential witnesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also on the witness list is former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson, who Thao directed to tour Evolutionary Homes’ showroom in January 2024, according to the indictment. Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">resigned from his position with the city in May \u003c/a>amid a text messaging scandal that prosecutors attempted, unsuccessfully, to bar defense attorneys from asking about during the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other high-profile staffers who could be called to testify are Oakland’s current interim city administrator, Betsy Lake; former interim city administrators Harold Duffey and Steven Falk; Thao’s former chiefs of staff, Renia Webb and Leigh Hanson, as well as Brandon Harami, a former mayoral staffer who also worked on Thao’s 2022 campaign for mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other allegations \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Court filings in the case have described other alleged bribery beyond the specific scheme that prosecutors hope to prove at trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The jury will be permitted to view two October 2022 cell phone videos of what appears to be Juarez toasting the formation of Evolutionary Homes. Sitting in the California Waste Solutions conference room are members of the Duong family. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one of the videos, Juarez appears to describe payments the Duongs made in 2014 after winning the company’s recycling contract with the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/SQfb9Mw6Qsc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/SQfb9Mw6Qsc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a July court filing, prosecutors described the video, saying that Juarez is expected to testify that his comments were in reference to bribes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys either declined or did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the video. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Further allegations Juarez has made to the FBI about the Duongs paying elected officials are summarized in an August motion filed by attorneys representing David Duong. According to the filing, Juarez also told FBI investigators he had seen the Duongs delete evidence from a security system and that the family used vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys attempted to have those allegations excluded from the trial. That motion was denied.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the filing, Juarez said he saw a “line of people” at California Waste Solutions’ office “waiting to be paid cash” by David Duong.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "sheng-thao-case-recordings-reveal-taped-phone-calls-fbi-informant-appearing-to-describe-bribes",
"title": "Sheng Thao Case: Recordings Reveal Taped Phone Calls, FBI Informant Appearing to Describe Bribes",
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"headTitle": "Sheng Thao Case: Recordings Reveal Taped Phone Calls, FBI Informant Appearing to Describe Bribes | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A video recording filed in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> shows a key FBI informant describing the owners of a major recycling contractor paying people after they won a lucrative contract with the city of Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video is part of a batch of files released this month that also includes taped phone calls with current and former elected officials. The calls, which appear to have been recorded without the politicians’ knowledge, seem to reveal close working relationships, and at times coordination, between Oakland city officials and the recycling company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors argue the video shows a critical moment in the alleged corruption scheme between their star witness, a co-conspirator turned informant, and the Duong family, owners of California Waste Solutions, the city’s curbside recycling provider. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company’s CEO, David Duong, and his son, Andy Duong, are facing bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud charges alongside Thao and her longtime partner, Andre Jones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The four are accused of engaging in a corrupt relationship in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election and in the months following. Prosecutors allege Thao promised she would use her authority as mayor to take actions to benefit the Duongs’ companies in exchange for financing negative political mailers and paying money to Jones through a no-show job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://youtu.be/SQfb9Mw6Qsc\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/D3w672owIBs?si=t5qlWwMQGSXrJs7B\">In the video from October 2022\u003c/a>, Mario Juarez, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged bribery scheme, stands in front of a conference table and makes a toast, professing his loyalty to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toast appears to celebrate Evolutionary Homes, a housing company the Duongs and Juarez co-founded around that time that is at the center of the bribery prosecution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. At one point, when Juarez describes “piranhas,” Kristina Duong, California Waste Solutions’ chief financial officer, shakes her head yes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a July court filing, prosecutors described the video, saying that Juarez is expected to testify at trial that his comments were in reference to bribes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez’s toast to the partnership between the Duongs and Juarez took place when the alleged conspiracy was forming, prosecutors say. By professing his past and future loyalty, prosecutors say Juarez was indicating to the Duongs that he could be trusted to keep their secrets and conduct business in their interest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An attorney for David Duong declined to comment on the video and other allegations Juarez has made. Lawyers representing Andy Duong did not immediately respond. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024. (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A second video, taken shortly after the first, shows Juarez making another speech. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Minus the profanity,” someone off-camera can be heard saying, followed by another person saying, “Keep it PG, please.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The videos were retrieved from Andy Duong’s phone and are among multiple audio and video files FBI agents seized. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One such file, described as a video depicting Andy Duong, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and others, remains under seal. The video was recorded in August 2023, during a trade delegation to Vietnam that Thao, the Duongs and other East Bay officials attended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Court records show prosecutors are now planning to use many of those recordings as evidence in the trial against the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong, who previously worked for his family’s business, is no longer actively employed by California Waste Solutions, an attorney for the company confirmed via phone on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attorney said Andy Duong is “on a leave of absence” but would not say when the leave began or why. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t remember when it started. Quite some time ago,” said Doug Straus, an attorney with the Buchalter law firm. “It’s been, at least, many, many, many months.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We got the contract, here is your money’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video of Juarez talking about payments is not the only time allegations of wider public corruption have surfaced in the case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed last month, attorneys for David Duong described allegations Juarez made to the FBI about the Duongs, including that the family has given millions of dollars in cash to elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Juarez knew the Duongs had paid bribes to public officials in the past. It was just how they did business,” the document reads. “Influence with politicians is part of the Duongs’ business plan. Influence came from the money they doled out and from the video evidence they kept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098817\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The California Waste Solutions headquarters at 1211 Embarcadero, in Oakland, on Sept. 8, 2026. The company provides curbside recycling service in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the motion, Juarez described seeing a line of people at California Waste Solutions’ headquarters waiting to be paid in cash by David Duong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez claimed he saw another individual — identified in the filing as Individual 2 — receive $50,000, also in a black gym bag. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 2] was angry he only got $50,000; [Individual 2] wanted more money,” it reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the document, Juarez told federal agents he was involved in bribing a political opponent of a city official. Juarez gave the individual $20,000 in front of a Starbucks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Duongs paid two individuals $100,000 each for being lobbyists for California Waste Solutions, but those payments were not reported, Juarez alleged. He also claimed to have seen the Duongs delete footage from a security system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Duong had blackmail on a lot of people. A. Duong used blackmail often,” the filing says Juarez alleged. “The Duongs and CWS started using vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals. Juarez knew money had been paid to [Individual 1], [Individual 8], and Brian Azevedo.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Sept. 21 denied it, ruling that Juarez’s statements about other alleged bribes can be admitted as evidence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The jury will ultimately decide whether Juarez’s statements reveal truth or not,” her order reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘I’m not f—ing with those bitches’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao can also be heard requesting to meet somewhere more private. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We just need to be further away from people,” Thao can be heard saying. “We don’t want people hearing us talk about this stuff, you know? But if it’s a private room, I prefer a private room, because we don’t really want to be seen with you guys.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kaplan, who is no longer a councilmember but is still working for the city, did not respond to KQED’s questions about the recording. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Four years later, in 2023, Thao was mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a call that September, she vented to Andy Duong about Councilmembers Treva Reid and Janani Ramachandran. In the call, Thao appears to express frustration that they were invited to an event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’re going to have to fucking pick and choose. Because I’m not fucking with those bitches,” she says on the call. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao had recently returned from the trade delegation to Vietnam when the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.vietnamplus.vn/pm-pham-minh-chinh-receives-politicians-of-san-francisco-post268198.vnp\">prime minister\u003c/a> visited the Bay Area and met with local elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the calls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reached by phone, Jenkins told KQED that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the recording given that he is a government witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the call with Bas, recorded in March that same year, she and Andy Duong can be heard discussing donations to her then-campaign for supervisor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Yup. OK. I’ll follow up on this right now,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email, Bas told KQED the city council never voted on or addressed Duong’s request. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As I do with all constituent matters, I forwarded this inquiry to city staff for their independent review,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A video recording filed in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> shows a key FBI informant describing the owners of a major recycling contractor paying people after they won a lucrative contract with the city of Oakland. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The video is part of a batch of files released this month that also includes taped phone calls with current and former elected officials. The calls, which appear to have been recorded without the politicians’ knowledge, seem to reveal close working relationships, and at times coordination, between Oakland city officials and the recycling company. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company’s CEO, David Duong, and his son, Andy Duong, are facing bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud charges alongside Thao and her longtime partner, Andre Jones. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The four are accused of engaging in a corrupt relationship in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election and in the months following. Prosecutors allege Thao promised she would use her authority as mayor to take actions to benefit the Duongs’ companies in exchange for financing negative political mailers and paying money to Jones through a no-show job. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/D3w672owIBs?si=t5qlWwMQGSXrJs7B\">In the video from October 2022\u003c/a>, Mario Juarez, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged bribery scheme, stands in front of a conference table and makes a toast, professing his loyalty to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The toast appears to celebrate Evolutionary Homes, a housing company the Duongs and Juarez co-founded around that time that is at the center of the bribery prosecution. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. At one point, when Juarez describes “piranhas,” Kristina Duong, California Waste Solutions’ chief financial officer, shakes her head yes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez’s toast to the partnership between the Duongs and Juarez took place when the alleged conspiracy was forming, prosecutors say. By professing his past and future loyalty, prosecutors say Juarez was indicating to the Duongs that he could be trusted to keep their secrets and conduct business in their interest. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An attorney for David Duong declined to comment on the video and other allegations Juarez has made. Lawyers representing Andy Duong did not immediately respond. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A second video, taken shortly after the first, shows Juarez making another speech. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Minus the profanity,” someone off-camera can be heard saying, followed by another person saying, “Keep it PG, please.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One such file, described as a video depicting Andy Duong, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and others, remains under seal. The video was recorded in August 2023, during a trade delegation to Vietnam that Thao, the Duongs and other East Bay officials attended. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Andy Duong, who previously worked for his family’s business, is no longer actively employed by California Waste Solutions, an attorney for the company confirmed via phone on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t remember when it started. Quite some time ago,” said Doug Straus, an attorney with the Buchalter law firm. “It’s been, at least, many, many, many months.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The video of Juarez talking about payments is not the only time allegations of wider public corruption have surfaced in the case. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a motion filed last month, attorneys for David Duong described allegations Juarez made to the FBI about the Duongs, including that the family has given millions of dollars in cash to elected officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Juarez knew the Duongs had paid bribes to public officials in the past. It was just how they did business,” the document reads. “Influence with politicians is part of the Duongs’ business plan. Influence came from the money they doled out and from the video evidence they kept.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098817\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The California Waste Solutions headquarters at 1211 Embarcadero, in Oakland, on Sept. 8, 2026. The company provides curbside recycling service in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the motion, Juarez described seeing a line of people at California Waste Solutions’ headquarters waiting to be paid in cash by David Duong. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez claimed he saw another individual — identified in the filing as Individual 2 — receive $50,000, also in a black gym bag. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Duongs paid two individuals $100,000 each for being lobbyists for California Waste Solutions, but those payments were not reported, Juarez alleged. He also claimed to have seen the Duongs delete footage from a security system. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Duong had blackmail on a lot of people. A. Duong used blackmail often,” the filing says Juarez alleged. “The Duongs and CWS started using vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals. Juarez knew money had been paid to [Individual 1], [Individual 8], and Brian Azevedo.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>U.S. Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Sept. 21 denied it, ruling that Juarez’s statements about other alleged bribes can be admitted as evidence. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao can also be heard requesting to meet somewhere more private. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We just need to be further away from people,” Thao can be heard saying. “We don’t want people hearing us talk about this stuff, you know? But if it’s a private room, I prefer a private room, because we don’t really want to be seen with you guys.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kaplan, who is no longer a councilmember but is still working for the city, did not respond to KQED’s questions about the recording. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Four years later, in 2023, Thao was mayor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a call that September, she vented to Andy Duong about Councilmembers Treva Reid and Janani Ramachandran. In the call, Thao appears to express frustration that they were invited to an event. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You’re going to have to fucking pick and choose. Because I’m not fucking with those bitches,” she says on the call. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao had recently returned from the trade delegation to Vietnam when the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.vietnamplus.vn/pm-pham-minh-chinh-receives-politicians-of-san-francisco-post268198.vnp\">prime minister\u003c/a> visited the Bay Area and met with local elected officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the calls. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Reached by phone, Jenkins told KQED that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the recording given that he is a government witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the call with Bas, recorded in March that same year, she and Andy Duong can be heard discussing donations to her then-campaign for supervisor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Yup. OK. I’ll follow up on this right now,” she says. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an email, Bas told KQED the city council never voted on or addressed Duong’s request. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A batch of video and audio recordings in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao reveals taped phone calls with East Bay elected officials and a video of an FBI informant appearing to describe cash bribes. ",
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"title": "Sheng Thao Case: Recordings Reveal Taped Phone Calls, FBI Informant Appearing to Describe Bribes | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A video recording filed in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> shows a key FBI informant describing the owners of a major recycling contractor paying people after they won a lucrative contract with the city of Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video is part of a batch of files released this month that also includes taped phone calls with current and former elected officials. The calls, which appear to have been recorded without the politicians’ knowledge, seem to reveal close working relationships, and at times coordination, between Oakland city officials and the recycling company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors argue the video shows a critical moment in the alleged corruption scheme between their star witness, a co-conspirator turned informant, and the Duong family, owners of California Waste Solutions, the city’s curbside recycling provider. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company’s CEO, David Duong, and his son, Andy Duong, are facing bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud charges alongside Thao and her longtime partner, Andre Jones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The four are accused of engaging in a corrupt relationship in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election and in the months following. Prosecutors allege Thao promised she would use her authority as mayor to take actions to benefit the Duongs’ companies in exchange for financing negative political mailers and paying money to Jones through a no-show job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/SQfb9Mw6Qsc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/SQfb9Mw6Qsc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/D3w672owIBs?si=t5qlWwMQGSXrJs7B\">In the video from October 2022\u003c/a>, Mario Juarez, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged bribery scheme, stands in front of a conference table and makes a toast, professing his loyalty to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toast appears to celebrate Evolutionary Homes, a housing company the Duongs and Juarez co-founded around that time that is at the center of the bribery prosecution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. At one point, when Juarez describes “piranhas,” Kristina Duong, California Waste Solutions’ chief financial officer, shakes her head yes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a July court filing, prosecutors described the video, saying that Juarez is expected to testify at trial that his comments were in reference to bribes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez’s toast to the partnership between the Duongs and Juarez took place when the alleged conspiracy was forming, prosecutors say. By professing his past and future loyalty, prosecutors say Juarez was indicating to the Duongs that he could be trusted to keep their secrets and conduct business in their interest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An attorney for David Duong declined to comment on the video and other allegations Juarez has made. Lawyers representing Andy Duong did not immediately respond. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024. (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A second video, taken shortly after the first, shows Juarez making another speech. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Minus the profanity,” someone off-camera can be heard saying, followed by another person saying, “Keep it PG, please.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The videos were retrieved from Andy Duong’s phone and are among multiple audio and video files FBI agents seized. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One such file, described as a video depicting Andy Duong, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and others, remains under seal. The video was recorded in August 2023, during a trade delegation to Vietnam that Thao, the Duongs and other East Bay officials attended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Court records show prosecutors are now planning to use many of those recordings as evidence in the trial against the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong, who previously worked for his family’s business, is no longer actively employed by California Waste Solutions, an attorney for the company confirmed via phone on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attorney said Andy Duong is “on a leave of absence” but would not say when the leave began or why. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t remember when it started. Quite some time ago,” said Doug Straus, an attorney with the Buchalter law firm. “It’s been, at least, many, many, many months.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We got the contract, here is your money’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video of Juarez talking about payments is not the only time allegations of wider public corruption have surfaced in the case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed last month, attorneys for David Duong described allegations Juarez made to the FBI about the Duongs, including that the family has given millions of dollars in cash to elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Juarez knew the Duongs had paid bribes to public officials in the past. It was just how they did business,” the document reads. “Influence with politicians is part of the Duongs’ business plan. Influence came from the money they doled out and from the video evidence they kept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098817\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The California Waste Solutions headquarters at 1211 Embarcadero, in Oakland, on Sept. 8, 2026. The company provides curbside recycling service in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the motion, Juarez described seeing a line of people at California Waste Solutions’ headquarters waiting to be paid in cash by David Duong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez claimed he saw another individual — identified in the filing as Individual 2 — receive $50,000, also in a black gym bag. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 2] was angry he only got $50,000; [Individual 2] wanted more money,” it reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the document, Juarez told federal agents he was involved in bribing a political opponent of a city official. Juarez gave the individual $20,000 in front of a Starbucks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Duongs paid two individuals $100,000 each for being lobbyists for California Waste Solutions, but those payments were not reported, Juarez alleged. He also claimed to have seen the Duongs delete footage from a security system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Duong had blackmail on a lot of people. A. Duong used blackmail often,” the filing says Juarez alleged. “The Duongs and CWS started using vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals. Juarez knew money had been paid to [Individual 1], [Individual 8], and Brian Azevedo.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Sept. 21 denied it, ruling that Juarez’s statements about other alleged bribes can be admitted as evidence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The jury will ultimately decide whether Juarez’s statements reveal truth or not,” her order reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘I’m not f—ing with those bitches’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao can also be heard requesting to meet somewhere more private. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We just need to be further away from people,” Thao can be heard saying. “We don’t want people hearing us talk about this stuff, you know? But if it’s a private room, I prefer a private room, because we don’t really want to be seen with you guys.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kaplan, who is no longer a councilmember but is still working for the city, did not respond to KQED’s questions about the recording. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Four years later, in 2023, Thao was mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a call that September, she vented to Andy Duong about Councilmembers Treva Reid and Janani Ramachandran. In the call, Thao appears to express frustration that they were invited to an event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’re going to have to fucking pick and choose. Because I’m not fucking with those bitches,” she says on the call. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao had recently returned from the trade delegation to Vietnam when the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.vietnamplus.vn/pm-pham-minh-chinh-receives-politicians-of-san-francisco-post268198.vnp\">prime minister\u003c/a> visited the Bay Area and met with local elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the calls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reached by phone, Jenkins told KQED that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the recording given that he is a government witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the call with Bas, recorded in March that same year, she and Andy Duong can be heard discussing donations to her then-campaign for supervisor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Yup. OK. I’ll follow up on this right now,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email, Bas told KQED the city council never voted on or addressed Duong’s request. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As I do with all constituent matters, I forwarded this inquiry to city staff for their independent review,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"headTitle": "Sheng Thao Trial: Government Asks Judge to Block Questions About Key Informant’s Past | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors gearing up for the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> are asking a judge to bar defense attorneys from cross-examining their star witness about certain aspects of his checkered past, along with a shooting that took place in front of his home several days after he first spoke with federal investigators. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The long-awaited trial, scheduled to begin with jury selection on Oct. 13, is expected to feature testimony from that witness, Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative who was a key informant in the FBI’s investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have argued that Juarez has a history of accusing others of wrongdoing when business relationships collapse, pointing to numerous lawsuits they say he has been a party to, including fraud cases involving former business partners. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and father-and-son recycling executives David and Andy Duong will also be on trial. The four were indicted last year on bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges in an alleged pay-to-play scheme. Andy Duong faces an additional charge related to lying to federal agents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12081856\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong speaks with guests after the screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao agreed to use her power to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract, commit the city to purchase homes from a housing company co-owned by the Duongs and Juarez, and appoint city officials they selected to work in high-level staff positions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In exchange, the Duongs financed negative campaign mailers targeting Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral election and paid Jones for a no-show job, prosecutors allege. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged conspiracy and is expected to testify at trial about his interactions with the defendants as well as his experience as a co-founder of Evolutionary Homes, the housing company at the heart of the alleged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Court records show the government is also asking the judge to prohibit defense attorneys from bringing up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">text message scandal\u003c/a> that rocked Oakland earlier this year, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thekingoftrash.us/\">documentary the Duongs released\u003c/a> last year about their origin story and arguments that the prosecution of the case is politically biased.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed in federal court on Thursday, government attorneys argued that defense lawyers should not be permitted to ask Juarez about “decades-old” lawsuits, including any actions related to his surrendered real estate license, as well as “unsubstantiated allegations of unrelated fraud, or prior arrests and criminal charges that did not result in convictions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The filing mentions, among other things, a 2016 federal money laundering investigation of Juarez that was closed without any arrests or charges, allegations of real estate fraud and Juarez’s prior arrests and charges for theft and embezzlement, battery and grand theft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez does not have any criminal convictions, the motion notes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Juarez is not on trial in this case, and his cross-examination should not serve as an opportunity for the defense to stage a mini-trial about any acts Juarez may have committed,” the motion states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hearing to discuss the pre-trial motion and a collection of others is scheduled for Sept. 11. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069397\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong talks with attendees after a private screening of The King of Trash at Regal Jack London in Oakland on Jan. 10, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several defense attorneys in the case did not respond to KQED’s request for comment on the government’s motions. One attorney representing David Duong said lawyers would respond in a brief this week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In April, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied a series of motions filed by defense attorneys \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raising questions about Juarez’s past\u003c/a> and his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">argued\u003c/a> that the FBI left out key information about Juarez’s history in affidavits used to secure search warrants of their clients’ homes, vehicles and businesses, which they said rested heavily on his claims. Some of the seized evidence should be suppressed, they argued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors responded that they had accumulated extensive documentary evidence related to the alleged conspiracy long before ever speaking with Juarez. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In their motion filed last week, lawyers with the U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that Juarez should not be questioned about government investigations into his conduct, allegations that he misappropriated funds from Evolutionary Homes and a 2024 shooting in front of his house. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The filing specifically points to a 2024 affidavit submitted in support of a warrant to search Juarez’s bank records following a complaint that he had defrauded Oakland businessman and president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council, Stewart Chen, of a $250,000 loan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The affidavit, filed by an inspector with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, describes an interview with Jack Cohen of Balboa LLC, who claimed he loaned Juarez $3 million and that Juarez never paid it back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The inspector also spoke with Andy Duong, who described the Duongs’ and Juarez’s business investment in Evolutionary Homes and their subsequent falling out, the affidavit reads. According to Duong, he and David Duong “fell victim to what he considered theft of their investment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1330\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046768\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The government’s star witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, has been a main focus in the federal prosecution of the alleged corruption scheme. (Sebastian Barros/Nur Photo via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To date, the district attorney’s office has not filed charges in the case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The affidavit was filed about five and a half weeks after a shooting took place in front of Juarez’s house. Several days earlier, Juarez had spoken with the government about the alleged scheme involving Thao and the Duongs for the first time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors wrote in their motion on Thursday that Juarez initially reported to Oakland police and the FBI that he had confronted two individuals breaking into his vehicle, and that one of them shot at him and he returned fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The FBI believed that the shooting might have been related to Juarez’s cooperation with law enforcement and that he was in potential physical danger,” it reads. “The day after the shooting, the FBI relocated Juarez for his safety and paid for a hotel room, rental car, and per diem for meals for Juarez, amounting to approximately $8,568.07 in expenses.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12073250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Federal Courthouse in Oakland on Feb. 11, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The FBI later determined it was likely that Juarez shot first, rather than returning fire, the document reads. When FBI agents then interviewed Juarez about the shooting, he said he shot first after another individual pointed a gun at him, and he thought his life was in danger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss a criminal case against a suspect in the shooting in May after learning of Juarez’s inconsistent statements, a document filed in Alameda County Superior Court shows. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In the light of the material inconsistencies in [Juarez’s] statement regarding the event and the absence of any physical evidence that would corroborate [his] statement, the People cannot sustain their burden beyond a reasonable doubt,” it reads.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In their motion filed Thursday, federal prosecutors asked the judge to prohibit defense attorneys from questioning Juarez about the shooting, his statements to law enforcement about it and the government’s response. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They also requested that the judge prohibit the defense from asking former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson and former Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey about text messages they sent each other regarding female city of Oakland employees, which surfaced in May, leading to Johnson’s abrupt resignation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duffey is now a city manager for the city of Brentwood, where he is currently on administrative leave. Both are on the government’s list of potential witnesses expected to testify. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the months following the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991242/fbi-agents-raid-home-of-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\">FBI’s search of Thao’s home\u003c/a> in 2024, both she and her attorney raised questions about the timing of the raid, which took place several months before a general election in which she was facing a recall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have asked that defendants not be permitted to argue that the government’s investigation of the case is politically motivated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At an anti-recall campaign event in October 2024, Thao told a crowd of supporters and media that she was innocent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I am not the target of the investigation,” Thao said. “Unfortunately, like the Jim Comey investigation into Hillary Clinton that swayed the 2016 presidential election that got us Trump, this overreach of the FBI is undoubtedly putting a finger on the scale influencing this election.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">indicted roughly three months\u003c/a> later.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors gearing up for the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> are asking a judge to bar defense attorneys from cross-examining their star witness about certain aspects of his checkered past, along with a shooting that took place in front of his home several days after he first spoke with federal investigators. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors gearing up for the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> are asking a judge to bar defense attorneys from cross-examining their star witness about certain aspects of his checkered past, along with a shooting that took place in front of his home several days after he first spoke with federal investigators. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The long-awaited trial, scheduled to begin with jury selection on Oct. 13, is expected to feature testimony from that witness, Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative who was a key informant in the FBI’s investigation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The long-awaited trial, scheduled to begin with jury selection on Oct. 13, is expected to feature testimony from that witness, Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative who was a key informant in the FBI’s investigation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have argued that Juarez has a history of accusing others of wrongdoing when business relationships collapse, pointing to numerous lawsuits they say he has been a party to, including fraud cases involving former business partners. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have argued that Juarez has a history of accusing others of wrongdoing when business relationships collapse, pointing to numerous lawsuits they say he has been a party to, including fraud cases involving former business partners. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and father-and-son recycling executives David and Andy Duong will also be on trial. The four were indicted last year on bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges in an alleged pay-to-play scheme. Andy Duong faces an additional charge related to lying to federal agents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and father-and-son recycling executives David and Andy Duong will also be on trial. The four were indicted last year on bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges in an alleged pay-to-play scheme. Andy Duong faces an additional charge related to lying to federal agents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12081856\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong speaks with guests after the screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao agreed to use her power to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract, commit the city to purchase homes from a housing company co-owned by the Duongs and Juarez, and appoint city officials they selected to work in high-level staff positions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao agreed to use her power to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract, commit the city to purchase homes from a housing company co-owned by the Duongs and Juarez, and appoint city officials they selected to work in high-level staff positions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In exchange, the Duongs financed negative campaign mailers targeting Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral election and paid Jones for a no-show job, prosecutors allege. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In exchange, the Duongs financed negative campaign mailers targeting Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral election and paid Jones for a no-show job, prosecutors allege. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged conspiracy and is expected to testify at trial about his interactions with the defendants as well as his experience as a co-founder of Evolutionary Homes, the housing company at the heart of the alleged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Juarez has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged conspiracy and is expected to testify at trial about his interactions with the defendants as well as his experience as a co-founder of Evolutionary Homes, the housing company at the heart of the alleged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Court records show the government is also asking the judge to prohibit defense attorneys from bringing up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">text message scandal\u003c/a> that rocked Oakland earlier this year, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thekingoftrash.us/\">documentary the Duongs released\u003c/a> last year about their origin story and arguments that the prosecution of the case is politically biased.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Court records show the government is also asking the judge to prohibit defense attorneys from bringing up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">text message scandal\u003c/a> that rocked Oakland earlier this year, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thekingoftrash.us/\">documentary the Duongs released\u003c/a> last year about their origin story and arguments that the prosecution of the case is politically biased.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a motion filed in federal court on Thursday, government attorneys argued that defense lawyers should not be permitted to ask Juarez about “decades-old” lawsuits, including any actions related to his surrendered real estate license, as well as “unsubstantiated allegations of unrelated fraud, or prior arrests and criminal charges that did not result in convictions.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a motion filed in federal court on Thursday, government attorneys argued that defense lawyers should not be permitted to ask Juarez about “decades-old” lawsuits, including any actions related to his surrendered real estate license, as well as “unsubstantiated allegations of unrelated fraud, or prior arrests and criminal charges that did not result in convictions.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The filing mentions, among other things, a 2016 federal money laundering investigation of Juarez that was closed without any arrests or charges, allegations of real estate fraud and Juarez’s prior arrests and charges for theft and embezzlement, battery and grand theft. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The filing mentions, among other things, a 2016 federal money laundering investigation of Juarez that was closed without any arrests or charges, allegations of real estate fraud and Juarez’s prior arrests and charges for theft and embezzlement, battery and grand theft. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez does not have any criminal convictions, the motion notes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Juarez does not have any criminal convictions, the motion notes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Juarez is not on trial in this case, and his cross-examination should not serve as an opportunity for the defense to stage a mini-trial about any acts Juarez may have committed,” the motion states. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Juarez is not on trial in this case, and his cross-examination should not serve as an opportunity for the defense to stage a mini-trial about any acts Juarez may have committed,” the motion states. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A hearing to discuss the pre-trial motion and a collection of others is scheduled for Sept. 11. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A hearing to discuss the pre-trial motion and a collection of others is scheduled for Sept. 11. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069397\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong talks with attendees after a private screening of The King of Trash at Regal Jack London in Oakland on Jan. 10, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Several defense attorneys in the case did not respond to KQED’s request for comment on the government’s motions. One attorney representing David Duong said lawyers would respond in a brief this week. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Several defense attorneys in the case did not respond to KQED’s request for comment on the government’s motions. One attorney representing David Duong said lawyers would respond in a brief this week. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In April, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied a series of motions filed by defense attorneys \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raising questions about Juarez’s past\u003c/a> and his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In April, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied a series of motions filed by defense attorneys \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raising questions about Juarez’s past\u003c/a> and his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">argued\u003c/a> that the FBI left out key information about Juarez’s history in affidavits used to secure search warrants of their clients’ homes, vehicles and businesses, which they said rested heavily on his claims. Some of the seized evidence should be suppressed, they argued. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors responded that they had accumulated extensive documentary evidence related to the alleged conspiracy long before ever speaking with Juarez. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In their motion filed last week, lawyers with the U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that Juarez should not be questioned about government investigations into his conduct, allegations that he misappropriated funds from Evolutionary Homes and a 2024 shooting in front of his house. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In their motion filed last week, lawyers with the U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that Juarez should not be questioned about government investigations into his conduct, allegations that he misappropriated funds from Evolutionary Homes and a 2024 shooting in front of his house. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The filing specifically points to a 2024 affidavit submitted in support of a warrant to search Juarez’s bank records following a complaint that he had defrauded Oakland businessman and president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council, Stewart Chen, of a $250,000 loan. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The filing specifically points to a 2024 affidavit submitted in support of a warrant to search Juarez’s bank records following a complaint that he had defrauded Oakland businessman and president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council, Stewart Chen, of a $250,000 loan. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The affidavit, filed by an inspector with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, describes an interview with Jack Cohen of Balboa LLC, who claimed he loaned Juarez $3 million and that Juarez never paid it back. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The affidavit, filed by an inspector with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, describes an interview with Jack Cohen of Balboa LLC, who claimed he loaned Juarez $3 million and that Juarez never paid it back. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The inspector also spoke with Andy Duong, who described the Duongs’ and Juarez’s business investment in Evolutionary Homes and their subsequent falling out, the affidavit reads. According to Duong, he and David Duong “fell victim to what he considered theft of their investment.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The inspector also spoke with Andy Duong, who described the Duongs’ and Juarez’s business investment in Evolutionary Homes and their subsequent falling out, the affidavit reads. According to Duong, he and David Duong “fell victim to what he considered theft of their investment.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-1536x1021.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046768\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The government’s star witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, has been a main focus in the federal prosecution of the alleged corruption scheme.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sebastian Barros/Nur Photo via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046768\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The government’s star witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, has been a main focus in the federal prosecution of the alleged corruption scheme.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sebastian Barros/Nur Photo via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To date, the district attorney’s office has not filed charges in the case. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The affidavit was filed about five and a half weeks after a shooting took place in front of Juarez’s house. Several days earlier, Juarez had spoken with the government about the alleged scheme involving Thao and the Duongs for the first time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The affidavit was filed about five and a half weeks after a shooting took place in front of Juarez’s house. Several days earlier, Juarez had spoken with the government about the alleged scheme involving Thao and the Duongs for the first time.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors wrote in their motion on Thursday that Juarez initially reported to Oakland police and the FBI that he had confronted two individuals breaking into his vehicle, and that one of them shot at him and he returned fire. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors wrote in their motion on Thursday that Juarez initially reported to Oakland police and the FBI that he had confronted two individuals breaking into his vehicle, and that one of them shot at him and he returned fire. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The FBI believed that the shooting might have been related to Juarez’s cooperation with law enforcement and that he was in potential physical danger,” it reads. “The day after the shooting, the FBI relocated Juarez for his safety and paid for a hotel room, rental car, and per diem for meals for Juarez, amounting to approximately $8,568.07 in expenses.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The FBI believed that the shooting might have been related to Juarez’s cooperation with law enforcement and that he was in potential physical danger,” it reads. “The day after the shooting, the FBI relocated Juarez for his safety and paid for a hotel room, rental car, and per diem for meals for Juarez, amounting to approximately $8,568.07 in expenses.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12073250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Federal Courthouse in Oakland on Feb. 11, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12073250\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Federal Courthouse in Oakland on Feb. 11, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The FBI later determined it was likely that Juarez shot first, rather than returning fire, the document reads. When FBI agents then interviewed Juarez about the shooting, he said he shot first after another individual pointed a gun at him, and he thought his life was in danger. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The FBI later determined it was likely that Juarez shot first, rather than returning fire, the document reads. When FBI agents then interviewed Juarez about the shooting, he said he shot first after another individual pointed a gun at him, and he thought his life was in danger. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss a criminal case against a suspect in the shooting in May after learning of Juarez’s inconsistent statements, a document filed in Alameda County Superior Court shows. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss a criminal case against a suspect in the shooting in May after learning of Juarez’s inconsistent statements, a document filed in Alameda County Superior Court shows. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In the light of the material inconsistencies in [Juarez’s] statement regarding the event and the absence of any physical evidence that would corroborate [his] statement, the People cannot sustain their burden beyond a reasonable doubt,” it reads.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In the light of the material inconsistencies in [Juarez’s] statement regarding the event and the absence of any physical evidence that would corroborate [his] statement, the People cannot sustain their burden beyond a reasonable doubt,” it reads.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In their motion filed Thursday, federal prosecutors asked the judge to prohibit defense attorneys from questioning Juarez about the shooting, his statements to law enforcement about it and the government’s response. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They also requested that the judge prohibit the defense from asking former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson and former Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey about text messages they sent each other regarding female city of Oakland employees, which surfaced in May, leading to Johnson’s abrupt resignation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They also requested that the judge prohibit the defense from asking former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson and former Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey about text messages they sent each other regarding female city of Oakland employees, which surfaced in May, leading to Johnson’s abrupt resignation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Duffey is now a city manager for the city of Brentwood, where he is currently on administrative leave. Both are on the government’s list of potential witnesses expected to testify. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Duffey is now a city manager for the city of Brentwood, where he is currently on administrative leave. Both are on the government’s list of potential witnesses expected to testify. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the months following the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991242/fbi-agents-raid-home-of-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\">FBI’s search of Thao’s home\u003c/a> in 2024, both she and her attorney raised questions about the timing of the raid, which took place several months before a general election in which she was facing a recall. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the months following the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991242/fbi-agents-raid-home-of-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\">FBI’s search of Thao’s home\u003c/a> in 2024, both she and her attorney raised questions about the timing of the raid, which took place several months before a general election in which she was facing a recall. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have asked that defendants not be permitted to argue that the government’s investigation of the case is politically motivated. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At an anti-recall campaign event in October 2024, Thao told a crowd of supporters and media that she was innocent. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I am not the target of the investigation,” Thao said. “Unfortunately, like the Jim Comey investigation into Hillary Clinton that swayed the 2016 presidential election that got us Trump, this overreach of the FBI is undoubtedly putting a finger on the scale influencing this election.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I am not the target of the investigation,” Thao said. “Unfortunately, like the Jim Comey investigation into Hillary Clinton that swayed the 2016 presidential election that got us Trump, this overreach of the FBI is undoubtedly putting a finger on the scale influencing this election.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">indicted roughly three months\u003c/a> later.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The government’s star witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, and his checkered past have been a main focus in the federal prosecution of the alleged corruption scheme.",
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"title": "Sheng Thao Trial: Government Asks Judge to Block Questions About Key Informant’s Past | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors gearing up for the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> are asking a judge to bar defense attorneys from cross-examining their star witness about certain aspects of his checkered past, along with a shooting that took place in front of his home several days after he first spoke with federal investigators. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The long-awaited trial, scheduled to begin with jury selection on Oct. 13, is expected to feature testimony from that witness, Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative who was a key informant in the FBI’s investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys have argued that Juarez has a history of accusing others of wrongdoing when business relationships collapse, pointing to numerous lawsuits they say he has been a party to, including fraud cases involving former business partners. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and father-and-son recycling executives David and Andy Duong will also be on trial. The four were indicted last year on bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges in an alleged pay-to-play scheme. Andy Duong faces an additional charge related to lying to federal agents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12081856\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong speaks with guests after the screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors allege Thao agreed to use her power to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract, commit the city to purchase homes from a housing company co-owned by the Duongs and Juarez, and appoint city officials they selected to work in high-level staff positions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In exchange, the Duongs financed negative campaign mailers targeting Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral election and paid Jones for a no-show job, prosecutors allege. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged conspiracy and is expected to testify at trial about his interactions with the defendants as well as his experience as a co-founder of Evolutionary Homes, the housing company at the heart of the alleged conspiracy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Court records show the government is also asking the judge to prohibit defense attorneys from bringing up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091317/oakland-councilmember-proposes-a-409000-severance-for-former-city-administrator\">text message scandal\u003c/a> that rocked Oakland earlier this year, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thekingoftrash.us/\">documentary the Duongs released\u003c/a> last year about their origin story and arguments that the prosecution of the case is politically biased.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed in federal court on Thursday, government attorneys argued that defense lawyers should not be permitted to ask Juarez about “decades-old” lawsuits, including any actions related to his surrendered real estate license, as well as “unsubstantiated allegations of unrelated fraud, or prior arrests and criminal charges that did not result in convictions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The filing mentions, among other things, a 2016 federal money laundering investigation of Juarez that was closed without any arrests or charges, allegations of real estate fraud and Juarez’s prior arrests and charges for theft and embezzlement, battery and grand theft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez does not have any criminal convictions, the motion notes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Juarez is not on trial in this case, and his cross-examination should not serve as an opportunity for the defense to stage a mini-trial about any acts Juarez may have committed,” the motion states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hearing to discuss the pre-trial motion and a collection of others is scheduled for Sept. 11. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069397\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KINGOFTRASH-_GH_003-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong talks with attendees after a private screening of The King of Trash at Regal Jack London in Oakland on Jan. 10, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several defense attorneys in the case did not respond to KQED’s request for comment on the government’s motions. One attorney representing David Duong said lawyers would respond in a brief this week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In April, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied a series of motions filed by defense attorneys \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raising questions about Juarez’s past\u003c/a> and his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">argued\u003c/a> that the FBI left out key information about Juarez’s history in affidavits used to secure search warrants of their clients’ homes, vehicles and businesses, which they said rested heavily on his claims. Some of the seized evidence should be suppressed, they argued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors responded that they had accumulated extensive documentary evidence related to the alleged conspiracy long before ever speaking with Juarez. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In their motion filed last week, lawyers with the U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that Juarez should not be questioned about government investigations into his conduct, allegations that he misappropriated funds from Evolutionary Homes and a 2024 shooting in front of his house. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The filing specifically points to a 2024 affidavit submitted in support of a warrant to search Juarez’s bank records following a complaint that he had defrauded Oakland businessman and president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council, Stewart Chen, of a $250,000 loan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The affidavit, filed by an inspector with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, describes an interview with Jack Cohen of Balboa LLC, who claimed he loaned Juarez $3 million and that Juarez never paid it back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The inspector also spoke with Andy Duong, who described the Duongs’ and Juarez’s business investment in Evolutionary Homes and their subsequent falling out, the affidavit reads. According to Duong, he and David Duong “fell victim to what he considered theft of their investment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1330\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046768\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/FBIJacketGetty1-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The government’s star witness, Oakland businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, has been a main focus in the federal prosecution of the alleged corruption scheme. (Sebastian Barros/Nur Photo via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To date, the district attorney’s office has not filed charges in the case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The affidavit was filed about five and a half weeks after a shooting took place in front of Juarez’s house. Several days earlier, Juarez had spoken with the government about the alleged scheme involving Thao and the Duongs for the first time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors wrote in their motion on Thursday that Juarez initially reported to Oakland police and the FBI that he had confronted two individuals breaking into his vehicle, and that one of them shot at him and he returned fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The FBI believed that the shooting might have been related to Juarez’s cooperation with law enforcement and that he was in potential physical danger,” it reads. “The day after the shooting, the FBI relocated Juarez for his safety and paid for a hotel room, rental car, and per diem for meals for Juarez, amounting to approximately $8,568.07 in expenses.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12073250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260211-OAKLAND-FEDERAL-COURTHOUSE-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Federal Courthouse in Oakland on Feb. 11, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The FBI later determined it was likely that Juarez shot first, rather than returning fire, the document reads. When FBI agents then interviewed Juarez about the shooting, he said he shot first after another individual pointed a gun at him, and he thought his life was in danger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss a criminal case against a suspect in the shooting in May after learning of Juarez’s inconsistent statements, a document filed in Alameda County Superior Court shows. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In the light of the material inconsistencies in [Juarez’s] statement regarding the event and the absence of any physical evidence that would corroborate [his] statement, the People cannot sustain their burden beyond a reasonable doubt,” it reads.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In their motion filed Thursday, federal prosecutors asked the judge to prohibit defense attorneys from questioning Juarez about the shooting, his statements to law enforcement about it and the government’s response. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They also requested that the judge prohibit the defense from asking former Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson and former Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey about text messages they sent each other regarding female city of Oakland employees, which surfaced in May, leading to Johnson’s abrupt resignation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duffey is now a city manager for the city of Brentwood, where he is currently on administrative leave. Both are on the government’s list of potential witnesses expected to testify. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the months following the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991242/fbi-agents-raid-home-of-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\">FBI’s search of Thao’s home\u003c/a> in 2024, both she and her attorney raised questions about the timing of the raid, which took place several months before a general election in which she was facing a recall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have asked that defendants not be permitted to argue that the government’s investigation of the case is politically motivated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At an anti-recall campaign event in October 2024, Thao told a crowd of supporters and media that she was innocent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I am not the target of the investigation,” Thao said. “Unfortunately, like the Jim Comey investigation into Hillary Clinton that swayed the 2016 presidential election that got us Trump, this overreach of the FBI is undoubtedly putting a finger on the scale influencing this election.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">indicted roughly three months\u003c/a> later.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "oakland-mayor-barbara-lee-signals-shell-run-for-full-term-in-november",
"title": "Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee Signals She’ll Run for Full Term in November",
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"headTitle": "Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee Signals She’ll Run for Full Term in November | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>One year after taking office, Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a> signaled that she would seek another bid for a full term and laid out an ambitious plan to rework city government, even as her administration navigates a recent personnel crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re doing the work that Oaklanders deserve,” Lee told KQED on Wednesday. “But we have a lot more to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee, who was elected last April to replace former Mayor Sheng Thao after a historic and contentious 2024 recall, was elected amidst an estimated $87 million budget shortfall and local concerns about corruption, homelessness, public safety and crime. A deal to sell the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12036060/oakland-pushes-coliseum-sale-next-year-delaying-funds-again\">Oakland Coliseum had fallen apart,\u003c/a> and the Oakland A’s, the city’s last major professional sports team, moved to Sacramento, dealing another blow to the city’s identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the face of these challenges, Lee promised Oakland “stability.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I looked at what was taking place in the city because of that instability and chaos and divisiveness, I thought it was the best decision to make for the good of the city to first come in and say we’re going to try to minimize the chaos and the confusion,” Lee said. “And create a path forward.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That vision was tested last week, when public records revealed a series of inappropriate text messages City Administrator Jestin Johnson had sent about female colleagues in 2024. In one, Johnson described a female subordinate as his “kryptonite,” and wrote: “My goodness, [she] has a helluva walk.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078519\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078519\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Barbara Lee, Kyra Mungia, co-founder of Rooted, politicians, teachers and supporters participate in a ribbon cutting during a press conference announcing new affordable housing for Oakland Unified School District teachers and school employees at a recently purchased residential building in Oakland on April 2, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lee said she was unaware of the texts until they became public and opened an investigation in response. She accepted Johnson’s resignation on Sunday and appointed Assistant City Administrator Betsy Lake as his interim replacement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I acted decisively,” Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The texts surfaced alongside documents subpoenaed during the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064908/judge-sets-2026-trial-date-in-bribery-case-of-former-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\"> FBI’s ongoing corruption investigation\u003c/a> into Thao, who appointed Johnson as city administrator in 2023 to oversee the city’s day-to-day operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other messages from 2024, Johnson texted former Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey, saying a female department head “had me a little giddy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m telling you, you have to sit next to her,” Johnson said. “I have to force myself to only look into her eyes.”[aside postID=news_12078453 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OakTeacherHousing-32-BL_qed.jpg']Lee alluded to Johnson when she said that she kept former members of Thao’s staff on when she took office a year ago because of the need for stability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wanted a smooth transition,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That pursuit has guided much of the former East Bay representative’s first year in mayoral office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She released her first \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/News-Releases/Oakland-Mayor-Releases-Mid-Cycle-Budget-Measure-E-Spending-Plan\">budget proposal for 2026-27\u003c/a> on Friday, which will determine whether Oakland can maintain or increase critical services, or whether cuts are on the way. Lee has pinned many of her ambitions on Measure E, a new parcel tax on the June ballot that could add $34 million in additional revenue each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee also pointed to her success in reinstating a \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Government/Working-for-Oakland/Summer-Jobs-and-Internships-for-Youth/Youth-Employment-and-Training\">summer youth employment program\u003c/a>, bringing two new banks to the city and using new AI drone technology to crack down on illegal dumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has deliberately avoided public fights with the City Council, describing her approach as one of “restraint.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some wonder why I don’t exercise my authority breaking ties,” she said. “Why would I break a tie to create more instability?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her reasoning, she said, is that Oakland needs to change how it’s perceived in order to compete for business investment — and the jobs and economic activity that come with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12015107\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12015107 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-800x449.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1536x862.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1920x1078.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee reflected on her first anniversary in office this week. The former East Bay representative promised Oaklanders continued stability and growth. \u003ccite>(Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to be able to show the rest of the country and the world and Wall Street that the chaos was going to end,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Lee, another way to encourage stability in Oakland is to change the government’s structure. Lee and Council President Kevin Jenkins are pushing a ballot measure to turn Oakland into a “strong mayor” city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland currently operates under a hybrid form of government where power is split between the mayor, city administrator and city council. Lee said that the arrangement makes it difficult to hold anyone accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any form of a hybrid creates confusion, chaos and is really frustrating for residents because they don’t know where the buck stops,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the proposal, power would be concentrated in the mayor’s office, giving the mayor veto power over City Council votes, including the budget, and more direct oversight of city departments. Council could still override a veto with a two-thirds vote. The measure would strengthen the council in other ways, making it full-time instead of part-time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12038000\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12038000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland City Hall in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council’s Rules and Legislation Committee is set to hear the official proposal tomorrow and will decide whether to place it before voters on the November ballot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, only San Francisco currently uses a true “strong mayor” system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some critics see Lee’s proposal as a power grab. But Lee rejected that characterization, instead arguing that it would make the city more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t need to be involved in a power struggle with anybody in Oakland,” Lee said. “I want this city to function, I want the services to be delivered, and I want you to know who’s accountable, whether it’s me as mayor or whoever is elected as mayor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee told the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/barbara-lee-oakland-mayor-one-year-mark-22265580.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that she would formally announce after the June primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I look forward to actually another four years as mayor,” she told KQED. “We have many challenges but many opportunities, and I’m determined that Oakland is going to be the cleanest and safest city in the country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "On her first anniversary in office, the former East Bay representative promised Oaklanders continued stability and growth. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>One year after taking office, Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a> signaled that she would seek another bid for a full term and laid out an ambitious plan to rework city government, even as her administration navigates a recent personnel crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re doing the work that Oaklanders deserve,” Lee told KQED on Wednesday. “But we have a lot more to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee, who was elected last April to replace former Mayor Sheng Thao after a historic and contentious 2024 recall, was elected amidst an estimated $87 million budget shortfall and local concerns about corruption, homelessness, public safety and crime. A deal to sell the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12036060/oakland-pushes-coliseum-sale-next-year-delaying-funds-again\">Oakland Coliseum had fallen apart,\u003c/a> and the Oakland A’s, the city’s last major professional sports team, moved to Sacramento, dealing another blow to the city’s identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the face of these challenges, Lee promised Oakland “stability.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I looked at what was taking place in the city because of that instability and chaos and divisiveness, I thought it was the best decision to make for the good of the city to first come in and say we’re going to try to minimize the chaos and the confusion,” Lee said. “And create a path forward.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That vision was tested last week, when public records revealed a series of inappropriate text messages City Administrator Jestin Johnson had sent about female colleagues in 2024. In one, Johnson described a female subordinate as his “kryptonite,” and wrote: “My goodness, [she] has a helluva walk.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078519\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078519\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OAKTEACHERHOUSING-30-BL_QED-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Barbara Lee, Kyra Mungia, co-founder of Rooted, politicians, teachers and supporters participate in a ribbon cutting during a press conference announcing new affordable housing for Oakland Unified School District teachers and school employees at a recently purchased residential building in Oakland on April 2, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lee said she was unaware of the texts until they became public and opened an investigation in response. She accepted Johnson’s resignation on Sunday and appointed Assistant City Administrator Betsy Lake as his interim replacement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I acted decisively,” Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The texts surfaced alongside documents subpoenaed during the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064908/judge-sets-2026-trial-date-in-bribery-case-of-former-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\"> FBI’s ongoing corruption investigation\u003c/a> into Thao, who appointed Johnson as city administrator in 2023 to oversee the city’s day-to-day operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other messages from 2024, Johnson texted former Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey, saying a female department head “had me a little giddy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m telling you, you have to sit next to her,” Johnson said. “I have to force myself to only look into her eyes.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Lee alluded to Johnson when she said that she kept former members of Thao’s staff on when she took office a year ago because of the need for stability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wanted a smooth transition,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That pursuit has guided much of the former East Bay representative’s first year in mayoral office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She released her first \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/News-Releases/Oakland-Mayor-Releases-Mid-Cycle-Budget-Measure-E-Spending-Plan\">budget proposal for 2026-27\u003c/a> on Friday, which will determine whether Oakland can maintain or increase critical services, or whether cuts are on the way. Lee has pinned many of her ambitions on Measure E, a new parcel tax on the June ballot that could add $34 million in additional revenue each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee also pointed to her success in reinstating a \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Government/Working-for-Oakland/Summer-Jobs-and-Internships-for-Youth/Youth-Employment-and-Training\">summer youth employment program\u003c/a>, bringing two new banks to the city and using new AI drone technology to crack down on illegal dumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has deliberately avoided public fights with the City Council, describing her approach as one of “restraint.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some wonder why I don’t exercise my authority breaking ties,” she said. “Why would I break a tie to create more instability?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her reasoning, she said, is that Oakland needs to change how it’s perceived in order to compete for business investment — and the jobs and economic activity that come with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12015107\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12015107 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-800x449.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1536x862.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1920x1078.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee reflected on her first anniversary in office this week. The former East Bay representative promised Oaklanders continued stability and growth. \u003ccite>(Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to be able to show the rest of the country and the world and Wall Street that the chaos was going to end,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Lee, another way to encourage stability in Oakland is to change the government’s structure. Lee and Council President Kevin Jenkins are pushing a ballot measure to turn Oakland into a “strong mayor” city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland currently operates under a hybrid form of government where power is split between the mayor, city administrator and city council. Lee said that the arrangement makes it difficult to hold anyone accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any form of a hybrid creates confusion, chaos and is really frustrating for residents because they don’t know where the buck stops,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the proposal, power would be concentrated in the mayor’s office, giving the mayor veto power over City Council votes, including the budget, and more direct oversight of city departments. Council could still override a veto with a two-thirds vote. The measure would strengthen the council in other ways, making it full-time instead of part-time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12038000\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12038000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-FILE-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland City Hall in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council’s Rules and Legislation Committee is set to hear the official proposal tomorrow and will decide whether to place it before voters on the November ballot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, only San Francisco currently uses a true “strong mayor” system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some critics see Lee’s proposal as a power grab. But Lee rejected that characterization, instead arguing that it would make the city more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t need to be involved in a power struggle with anybody in Oakland,” Lee said. “I want this city to function, I want the services to be delivered, and I want you to know who’s accountable, whether it’s me as mayor or whoever is elected as mayor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee told the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/barbara-lee-oakland-mayor-one-year-mark-22265580.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that she would formally announce after the June primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I look forward to actually another four years as mayor,” she told KQED. “We have many challenges but many opportunities, and I’m determined that Oakland is going to be the cleanest and safest city in the country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>A federal judge in Oakland has publicly revealed the identity of a key FBI informant in the corruption case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">Mario Juarez\u003c/a>, a longtime Oakland businessman and former city council candidate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez is named in an order issued Monday and unsealed Tuesday, denying \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">several motions\u003c/a> to suppress evidence in the case. The motions had questioned Juarez’s credibility as an informant and the FBI’s reliance on his statements to secure search warrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to court records, Juarez began working with the FBI in 2024, mere weeks before agents conducted highly publicized raids on Thao and the other defendants’ homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While his presence has loomed large in the case, he had yet to be publicly identified.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao was charged with bribery, conspiracy and fraud in an eight-count indictment in January last year. Her longtime partner, Andre Jones, and father and son recycling executives David and Andy Duong, were also charged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Duongs own California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s current curbside recycling contractor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081856\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andy Duong speaks with guests after the screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The indictment alleges a pay-to-play scheme in which the Duongs made payments to Jones through a no-show job and financed political mailers attacking Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral race. In exchange, Thao promised to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract and commit the city to purchasing shipping containers converted into housing for the homeless from a company the Duongs co-owned, according to federal prosecutors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment also describes a fifth person who was allegedly involved in the scheme but has not been charged. That individual, now confirmed to be Juarez, is identified in the indictment as “CO-CONSPIRATOR 1.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The motions, filed by Thao and the other defendants, had accused the FBI of failing to leave out key information about Juarez’s past in affidavits used to secure search warrants of their homes, vehicles and businesses.[aside postID=news_12071314 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/IMG_1338-2000x1500.jpg']In their motions, the defendants alleged the FBI failed to disclose that Juarez has a decades-long track record of defrauding business partners and what they described as a “documented counter-attack history” of alleging misconduct by others in response to accusations and lawsuits lodged against him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A simple search of Co-Conspirator 1’s name through the Alameda County Superior Court records reveals that he has been sued approximately 33 times between 1992 and 2022, including numerous fraud cases involving former business partners,” one motion reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez, they alleged, was continuing that pattern in this case. They requested an evidentiary hearing where they could question the FBI agents who wrote the affidavits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors had pushed back on that argument, saying they had amassed significant documentary evidence of the alleged corruption scheme well before interviewing Juarez, and that his statements were included merely for “context and completeness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her order, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied the defendants’ request.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Defendants present no credible evidence that the government intended to deceive or acted with reckless disregard,” she wrote. “The motion is deniable on this basis alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037105\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037105\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Federal Courthouse in Oakland on Aug. 16, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One warrant, she wrote, included “significant documentary evidence tying David Duong, Andy Duong, Thao, Jones, and Juarez to the alleged corruption scheme, including messages and notes from Juarez’s iCloud account, financial records showing the allegedly corrupt payments, phone records showing significant communication regarding those payments, and other documentary evidence relating to the scheme.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorneys for Thao, Jones and David and Andy Duong either declined to comment on the order or did not return KQED’s calls requesting comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez also did not respond to a text message requesting comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Criminal defense attorney Jay Rorty said the judge’s decision could change the calculus for the defendants, who still have the option to accept a plea deal before the case goes to trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each client will now need to make difficult choices as to whether it is in their interest to resolve the case or take the risk of a more severe penalty in the event they are convicted at trial,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A federal judge in Oakland has publicly revealed the identity of a key FBI informant in the corruption case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">Mario Juarez\u003c/a>, a longtime Oakland businessman and former city council candidate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez is named in an order issued Monday and unsealed Tuesday, denying \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">several motions\u003c/a> to suppress evidence in the case. The motions had questioned Juarez’s credibility as an informant and the FBI’s reliance on his statements to secure search warrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to court records, Juarez began working with the FBI in 2024, mere weeks before agents conducted highly publicized raids on Thao and the other defendants’ homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While his presence has loomed large in the case, he had yet to be publicly identified.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao was charged with bribery, conspiracy and fraud in an eight-count indictment in January last year. Her longtime partner, Andre Jones, and father and son recycling executives David and Andy Duong, were also charged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Duongs own California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s current curbside recycling contractor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081856\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andy Duong speaks with guests after the screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The indictment alleges a pay-to-play scheme in which the Duongs made payments to Jones through a no-show job and financed political mailers attacking Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral race. In exchange, Thao promised to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract and commit the city to purchasing shipping containers converted into housing for the homeless from a company the Duongs co-owned, according to federal prosecutors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment also describes a fifth person who was allegedly involved in the scheme but has not been charged. That individual, now confirmed to be Juarez, is identified in the indictment as “CO-CONSPIRATOR 1.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The motions, filed by Thao and the other defendants, had accused the FBI of failing to leave out key information about Juarez’s past in affidavits used to secure search warrants of their homes, vehicles and businesses.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In their motions, the defendants alleged the FBI failed to disclose that Juarez has a decades-long track record of defrauding business partners and what they described as a “documented counter-attack history” of alleging misconduct by others in response to accusations and lawsuits lodged against him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A simple search of Co-Conspirator 1’s name through the Alameda County Superior Court records reveals that he has been sued approximately 33 times between 1992 and 2022, including numerous fraud cases involving former business partners,” one motion reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez, they alleged, was continuing that pattern in this case. They requested an evidentiary hearing where they could question the FBI agents who wrote the affidavits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors had pushed back on that argument, saying they had amassed significant documentary evidence of the alleged corruption scheme well before interviewing Juarez, and that his statements were included merely for “context and completeness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her order, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied the defendants’ request.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Defendants present no credible evidence that the government intended to deceive or acted with reckless disregard,” she wrote. “The motion is deniable on this basis alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037105\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037105\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230816-Dublin-Womens-Prison-Suit-MD-01_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Federal Courthouse in Oakland on Aug. 16, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One warrant, she wrote, included “significant documentary evidence tying David Duong, Andy Duong, Thao, Jones, and Juarez to the alleged corruption scheme, including messages and notes from Juarez’s iCloud account, financial records showing the allegedly corrupt payments, phone records showing significant communication regarding those payments, and other documentary evidence relating to the scheme.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorneys for Thao, Jones and David and Andy Duong either declined to comment on the order or did not return KQED’s calls requesting comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez also did not respond to a text message requesting comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Criminal defense attorney Jay Rorty said the judge’s decision could change the calculus for the defendants, who still have the option to accept a plea deal before the case goes to trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each client will now need to make difficult choices as to whether it is in their interest to resolve the case or take the risk of a more severe penalty in the event they are convicted at trial,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "oakland-mayor-barbara-lees-suv-stolen-from-city-hall-after-office-break-in",
"title": "Arrest Made After Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee’s SUV Stolen From City Hall",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a case this week involving the theft of a city-owned SUV reportedly used by Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a>, the department said Thursday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The case is still under active investigation, and no other details about the arrest were immediately available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Police union officials told KQED that the suspect entered City Hall during work hours on Friday and camped out on the 11th floor while the building was quiet over the Presidents Day holiday weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The break-in and robbery is now raising questions about security at City Hall, where the vehicle was parked when it was stolen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Monday, the individual broke into the mayor’s office and stole keys to the city-owned Ford Expedition, according to a spokesperson for the Oakland police union.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12038301\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12038301\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland City Hall in Oakland on April 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The SUV was recovered in Vallejo with the use of license plate reader technology just hours after police were notified it was missing on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No one in Oakland should have to worry about their car being stolen, whether they’re a resident, a city worker or the mayor,” Lee said in a brief statement. “Public safety is a priority across our entire city.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland contracts with a private security company, ABC Security, to guard City Hall. The company did not return a request for comment about security over the weekend or any potential changes moving forward.[aside postID=news_12071250 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251023-MAYOR-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg']City officials also did not comment on whether security protocols will change as a result of the break-in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is footage inside City Hall from security cameras that are being reviewed by law enforcement as part of this investigation,” said Sam Singer, the spokesperson for the Oakland police union.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Singer said City Hall was mostly empty over the holiday weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the theft of a high-ranking official’s vehicle is rare, it’s not the first time that government leaders in Oakland have fallen victim to car break-ins and property theft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Mayor Sheng Thao’s car was broken into in 2023 while she was attending a documentary premiere at Grand Lake Theater. The break-in was believed to have been part of a string of auto burglaries that evening near Lake Merritt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that same year, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price had a work laptop stolen from her security team’s SUV while it was parked in front of the Family Justice Center in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The thief is believed to have entered City Hall on Friday and camped out during the holiday weekend before stealing the keys to the car on Monday.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a case this week involving the theft of a city-owned SUV reportedly used by Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a>, the department said Thursday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The case is still under active investigation, and no other details about the arrest were immediately available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Police union officials told KQED that the suspect entered City Hall during work hours on Friday and camped out on the 11th floor while the building was quiet over the Presidents Day holiday weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The break-in and robbery is now raising questions about security at City Hall, where the vehicle was parked when it was stolen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Monday, the individual broke into the mayor’s office and stole keys to the city-owned Ford Expedition, according to a spokesperson for the Oakland police union.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12038301\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12038301\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250430-OAKLAND-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland City Hall in Oakland on April 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The SUV was recovered in Vallejo with the use of license plate reader technology just hours after police were notified it was missing on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No one in Oakland should have to worry about their car being stolen, whether they’re a resident, a city worker or the mayor,” Lee said in a brief statement. “Public safety is a priority across our entire city.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland contracts with a private security company, ABC Security, to guard City Hall. The company did not return a request for comment about security over the weekend or any potential changes moving forward.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>City officials also did not comment on whether security protocols will change as a result of the break-in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is footage inside City Hall from security cameras that are being reviewed by law enforcement as part of this investigation,” said Sam Singer, the spokesperson for the Oakland police union.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Singer said City Hall was mostly empty over the holiday weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the theft of a high-ranking official’s vehicle is rare, it’s not the first time that government leaders in Oakland have fallen victim to car break-ins and property theft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Mayor Sheng Thao’s car was broken into in 2023 while she was attending a documentary premiere at Grand Lake Theater. The break-in was believed to have been part of a string of auto burglaries that evening near Lake Merritt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that same year, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price had a work laptop stolen from her security team’s SUV while it was parked in front of the Family Justice Center in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor",
"title": "Sheng Thao Corruption Probe: Did the FBI's Informant Lie?",
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"headTitle": "Sheng Thao Corruption Probe: Did the FBI’s Informant Lie? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>When images of FBI agents carrying boxes out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a>’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> home hit the news and social media in June of 2024, it was the public’s first glimpse of a possible investigation of the then-mayor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But records now show that agents had been working for over a year on the probe that led to the indictment of Thao, her partner Andre Jones and businessmen David and Andy Duong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And two weeks prior to the raids, they had sat down for the first time with a man who would become a key informant in the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The man, referred to in a January 2025 indictment as “Co-conspirator 1,” was allegedly involved in the bribery scheme, but has not been charged. His credibility — and the degree to which federal investigators relied on his claims — has now become one of the central fault lines in the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He is widely assumed to be Oakland businessman and former city council candidate, Mario Juarez. Juarez declined KQED’s request for comment on this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the heart of the dispute is a question that could shape what evidence against Oakland’s former mayor a jury ultimately sees: Did federal agents rely too heavily on a deeply controversial informant to secure search warrants of the defendants’ homes, vehicles and businesses — or did they already have enough evidence without him?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12022788\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12022788\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheng Thao, center, stands next to her attorney, Jeff Tsai, left, as he makes a statement outside of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As defense attorneys push to suppress evidence they say was tainted by incomplete information about Juarez’s credibility, the outcome could determine how much of the government’s case survives to trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal prosecutors last year charged Thao, Jones and David and Andy Duong with bribery, conspiracy and fraud. They allege Thao agreed to use her power to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract, commit the city to purchase homes from a housing company co-owned by the Duongs and appoint city officials selected by the Duongs and Co-Conspirator 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In exchange, the Duongs financed negative campaign mailers targeting Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral election and paid Jones for a no-show job, prosecutors allege.[aside postID=news_12064908 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00001-1020x681.jpg']All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. The case is scheduled to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064908/judge-sets-2026-trial-date-in-bribery-case-of-former-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">go to trial in October\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, defense attorneys began raising questions about Juarez’s past. They described a decadeslong history of fraud, including instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez did the same in this case, they allege.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The origin of the present case is yet another [Co-Conspirator 1] fraud scheme gone wrong,” attorneys for Andy Duong wrote in a Dec. 4 filing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorneys are now asking a judge to suppress evidence seized with search warrants they say rested heavily on Juarez’s claims and are calling for a hearing where they can question the FBI agents who wrote them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors, however, say their evidence goes far beyond Juarez’s word. They argue investigators had already built a substantial case before Juarez ever spoke to the FBI — and that at least one judge was explicitly told his statements were not required to establish probable cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both sides are set to make their arguments on March 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Juarez’s alleged ‘counter-attack history’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Questions around Juarez’s credibility first emerged in October when David Duong filed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">a legal challenge called a Franks motion\u003c/a>, accusing the FBI of not disclosing the full picture of Juarez’s background in a June 2024 search warrant affidavit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A Franks motion is a way for a defendant to challenge a search warrant by arguing that a law enforcement officer intentionally or recklessly made false statements or left out important information in an affidavit supporting it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to David Duong’s attorneys, Juarez was sued approximately 33 times between 1992 and 2022, including numerous fraud cases involving former business partners. They say those cases reveal a consistent tactic: accusing others of wrongdoing when business relationships collapse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991432\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991432\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. postal inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences to members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Even a cursory review of those matters and related press reports demonstrates that Co-Conspirator 1 has a history of diverting monies entrusted to him and accusing his business partners of misdeeds to try to discredit them and avoid paying his debts,” they wrote in the Oct. 31 motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In one example, the lawyers cite, attorney Sandra Raye Mitchell was working for a couple that owned a commercial real estate property in Oakland’s Fruitvale district in 2010. The clients were attempting to evict Juarez and others from the property and were suing them in federal court. During one of her visits to the property, Mitchell told police, Juarez hit her arm and ripped her jacket, causing buttons to come off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a request for a restraining order, Juarez alleged Mitchell had attacked \u003cem>him.\u003c/em> A woman claimed in a sworn statement that she had witnessed Mitchell hitting herself and ripping off her own clothes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A judge barred Juarez from harassing, striking or threatening Mitchell, but Juarez successfully appealed the decision on the grounds that the judge didn’t offer him or his witnesses an opportunity to speak at the hearing. Mitchell declined to comment on the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys point to the episode as an early example of what they call Juarez’s “counter-attack” history — a pattern of alleging misconduct by others in response to accusations and lawsuits lodged against him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In another example, Juarez filed a restraining order against a man who sued him for fraud.[aside postID=news_12061916 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250902_SANLEANDROCITYHALL_GH-2-KQED.jpg']Mauro and Hilda Bucio alleged in an August 2011 lawsuit that Juarez, who had been their real estate agent, had failed to repay $220,000 the couple had loaned him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez filed a restraining order against Mauro Bucio the following year, alleging that he followed him at an event and hit him, causing Juarez to fear for his life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Martinez, an Emeryville-based attorney who represented the Bucios in their claim against Juarez, told KQED the assault didn’t happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My client didn’t do any of that,” he said. “I think it was an anaemic attempt to gain an advantage in our litigation, but he didn’t follow through.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a third example, Juarez in 2024 accused then-Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price of charging him with passing bad checks in retaliation for refusing to donate to her anti-recall campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez alleged that Price had pulled him aside at a gathering and said that, as DA, she could help Juarez, but that he would “need to show love and support to her” in the form of a $25,000 donation to the campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It just was ridiculous to me, the allegation,” Price said in an interview with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The case against Juarez was eventually dismissed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>He is a very disingenuous, deceitful person who will say anything to avoid responsibility. That’s what he does. He defrauds people all the time,” Price added. “And so one would be wise to make sure that you have evidence to support anything, that you can verify what he says. And I presume that they have done that,” she said, referring to the government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a Jan. 14 filing, federal prosecutors pointed out that, in fact, they did have evidence to verify what Juarez had told them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The government’s investigation revealed\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say the FBI began its investigation in early 2023 of the alleged bribery scheme involving Thao and the others — long before agents began speaking with Juarez. They argue that Juarez did not initiate the case, but rather entered an investigation that was already well underway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to federal prosecutors, agents began investigating Juarez after learning he had failed to pay for a negative campaign mailer targeting Thao’s rivals in the lead-up to the 2022 election. Juarez and the Duongs at that point had gone into business together on Evolutionary Homes, a company that aimed to convert shipping containers into housing for the homeless and sell them to local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a May 2024 911 call, Juarez alleged that a member of the Duong family had ordered a group of 10 men to assault him. Andy Duong later told a district attorney inspector a different story about that incident: that his family had walked away from their investment after Juarez only delivered two homes. Juarez, he said, had shown up at California Waste Solutions and held him and his father for hours, demanding money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991627\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991627\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FBI agents raid the Maiden Lane home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Soon after, Juarez spoke to the FBI pursuant to a proffer agreement, which allows an individual to speak with the government and not have their statements used against them in court proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By the spring of 2024, the government had amassed a significant amount of documentary evidence tying each of the Defendants and Co-Conspirator 1 to the conspiracy, including incriminating text messages, Apple notes, calendar entries, financial records showing the corrupt payments, phone records showing significant communication among Defendants at key points relating to the agreements and payments, and other documentary evidence relating to the scheme,” it reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Based on this evidence alone, they wrote, two separate judges had signed off on four previous warrants for the defendants’ iCloud accounts, email accounts and cell phone location data. The government presented the same evidence when it sought the June 2024 residential search warrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Co-Conspirator 1’s statements were included for merely ‘context and completeness,’ and explicitly informed the magistrate judge that these statements to law enforcement were not necessary to a finding of probable cause,” they wrote.[aside postID=news_12052003 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty.jpg']In a legal filing this week, Thao’s attorneys pushed back on that argument, saying that the documentary chain of evidence establishing Thao’s involvement in the scheme relies on Juarez’s text messages and notes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors also pointed out they had warned the magistrate judge in a multipage footnote about information relevant to Juarez’s credibility, and described his possible motivations for cooperating with the government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They say the affidavit made clear that Co-Conspirator 1 “appears to be … motivated by revenge against the Duongs and a desire to obtain protection from law enforcement from the Duongs, among any number of other potential personal motivations he may have” and also that Co-Conspirator 1 “appears to be talking ‘with the hope of obtaining some form of leniency in exchange.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information about Juarez’s past that defendants claim the FBI left out of the affidavit consisted in part of “decades-old unsworn civil complaints,” news articles and other information, they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those complaints and other materials, at most, establish “that Co-Conspirator 1 has been repeatedly \u003cem>accused\u003c/em> of fraud in civil litigation over the years,” they argued. “It is a far cry, however, from the ‘decadeslong pattern of repeatedly being found liable for defrauding business partners,’ that Defendants purport it to be.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors admit that the FBI agent who wrote the June 14, 2024, affidavit was not aware of every detail of Juarez’s past legal issues when it was filed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, they argue, he was not responsible for doing the additional investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Defendants “cite no precedent for the suggestion that agents must search and disclose all court records related to civil lawsuits related to informants, nor could they,” the filing reads. What’s more, they argue, given the information the government did disclose, not including every detail of Juarez’s civil litigation history, “cannot be considered to be reckless or material” — a key element of meeting the Franks standard.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The 2024 shooting\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Defendants also accuse the FBI of leaving out key information about a June 9, 2024, shooting that took place in front of Juarez’s Fruitvale home three days after he first spoke with agents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to David Duong’s attorneys, the June 14 search warrant affidavit had framed the shooting as a possible attempt to murder Juarez, orchestrated by the Duongs because they had learned he was cooperating with the FBI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to prosecutors, FBI agents believed at the time that the shooting could have been a targeted attack by the Duongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11992169\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11992169 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California Waste Solutions worker empties recycling bins in the Rockridge neighborhood on April 22, 2020, in Oakland, California. A campaign finance investigation into the city’s curbside recycling contractor has received renewed attention since the FBI raids. \u003ccite>(Yalonda M. James/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Given that the shooting occurred three days after Co-Conspirator 1 spoke to federal law enforcement, Co-Conspirator 1’s prior allegations that the Duongs had directed an assault on him, as well as suspicious phone tolls leading up to the shooting, the FBI believed that Co-Conspirator 1 may have been part of a targeted attack instigated by the Duongs,” the government’s filing reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Duong’s attorneys allege Juarez lied to law enforcement about what happened that night in an attempt to incriminate the Duongs and save himself from his own legal troubles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The affidavit omits evidence, collected by the FBI immediately after the shooting, that suggests the shooting was not an assassination attempt but a botched car burglary,” they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the government’s filing, Juarez had initially reported to OPD and the FBI that he confronted two individuals breaking into this vehicle, one of whom shot at him, and he returned fire. Months later, FBI agents ascertained through analysis of Juarez’s interview after the shooting, surveillance footage and Shot Spotter reports that Juarez likely shot first, rather than returning fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they interviewed him again, he changed his story, they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071611\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071611\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Duong talks with attendees after a private screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“During that interview, Co-Conspirator 1 stated that he shot first after another individual pointed a firearm at him, and he believed his life was in danger,” the filing reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez said he couldn’t recall what he initially told OPD about the shooting and that he might have miscommunicated about the sequence of events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“During that interview, Co-Conspirator 1 continued to state that he believed the shooting was orchestrated by the Duongs,” the filing states.[aside postID=news_12070619 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/20251022_Bobby-Seale-Way_AA_023_qed.jpg']Despite that, prosecutors argue that even if the FBI agent had known Juarez shot first, it would not have undermined his belief that the shooting was targeted, since it took place three days after the FBI interviewed Juarez and because of Juarez’s allegation that he had been previously assaulted in an attack orchestrated by the family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They argue that Juarez’s inconsistent statements about the shooting and the other details about his “stale civil allegations of fraud” would not have changed the judge’s decision to sign off on the warrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the judge grants the Franks hearing, in order for the evidence to be suppressed, attorneys would need to prove that it’s more likely than not that the information left out was material to a finding of probable cause and that the FBI agent did not include it intentionally or with a reckless disregard for the truth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not sufficient to show that the agent made a simple mistake, Stanford criminal law professor Robert Weisberg said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not enough to show that the [FBI agent] goofed,” Weisberg said. “It’s not enough to show that he was negligent in doing so. Rather, you have to show that the FBI agent at least strongly suspected that he was not giving information that was clearly relevant to the question of probable cause, and maybe sort of was gambling.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the event there is a Franks hearing, both sides could present evidence and witnesses in open court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is why Frank’s hearings can be dramatic,” he said. “It comes pretty close to calling the FBI agent a liar.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "Sheng Thao Corruption Probe: Did the FBI's Informant Lie? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When images of FBI agents carrying boxes out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a>’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> home hit the news and social media in June of 2024, it was the public’s first glimpse of a possible investigation of the then-mayor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But records now show that agents had been working for over a year on the probe that led to the indictment of Thao, her partner Andre Jones and businessmen David and Andy Duong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And two weeks prior to the raids, they had sat down for the first time with a man who would become a key informant in the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The man, referred to in a January 2025 indictment as “Co-conspirator 1,” was allegedly involved in the bribery scheme, but has not been charged. His credibility — and the degree to which federal investigators relied on his claims — has now become one of the central fault lines in the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He is widely assumed to be Oakland businessman and former city council candidate, Mario Juarez. Juarez declined KQED’s request for comment on this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the heart of the dispute is a question that could shape what evidence against Oakland’s former mayor a jury ultimately sees: Did federal agents rely too heavily on a deeply controversial informant to secure search warrants of the defendants’ homes, vehicles and businesses — or did they already have enough evidence without him?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12022788\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12022788\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheng Thao, center, stands next to her attorney, Jeff Tsai, left, as he makes a statement outside of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As defense attorneys push to suppress evidence they say was tainted by incomplete information about Juarez’s credibility, the outcome could determine how much of the government’s case survives to trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal prosecutors last year charged Thao, Jones and David and Andy Duong with bribery, conspiracy and fraud. They allege Thao agreed to use her power to extend the Duongs’ recycling contract, commit the city to purchase homes from a housing company co-owned by the Duongs and appoint city officials selected by the Duongs and Co-Conspirator 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In exchange, the Duongs financed negative campaign mailers targeting Thao’s opponents in the 2022 mayoral election and paid Jones for a no-show job, prosecutors allege.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. The case is scheduled to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064908/judge-sets-2026-trial-date-in-bribery-case-of-former-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">go to trial in October\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, defense attorneys began raising questions about Juarez’s past. They described a decadeslong history of fraud, including instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez did the same in this case, they allege.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The origin of the present case is yet another [Co-Conspirator 1] fraud scheme gone wrong,” attorneys for Andy Duong wrote in a Dec. 4 filing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorneys are now asking a judge to suppress evidence seized with search warrants they say rested heavily on Juarez’s claims and are calling for a hearing where they can question the FBI agents who wrote them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors, however, say their evidence goes far beyond Juarez’s word. They argue investigators had already built a substantial case before Juarez ever spoke to the FBI — and that at least one judge was explicitly told his statements were not required to establish probable cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both sides are set to make their arguments on March 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Juarez’s alleged ‘counter-attack history’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Questions around Juarez’s credibility first emerged in October when David Duong filed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">a legal challenge called a Franks motion\u003c/a>, accusing the FBI of not disclosing the full picture of Juarez’s background in a June 2024 search warrant affidavit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A Franks motion is a way for a defendant to challenge a search warrant by arguing that a law enforcement officer intentionally or recklessly made false statements or left out important information in an affidavit supporting it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to David Duong’s attorneys, Juarez was sued approximately 33 times between 1992 and 2022, including numerous fraud cases involving former business partners. They say those cases reveal a consistent tactic: accusing others of wrongdoing when business relationships collapse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991432\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991432\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. postal inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences to members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Even a cursory review of those matters and related press reports demonstrates that Co-Conspirator 1 has a history of diverting monies entrusted to him and accusing his business partners of misdeeds to try to discredit them and avoid paying his debts,” they wrote in the Oct. 31 motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In one example, the lawyers cite, attorney Sandra Raye Mitchell was working for a couple that owned a commercial real estate property in Oakland’s Fruitvale district in 2010. The clients were attempting to evict Juarez and others from the property and were suing them in federal court. During one of her visits to the property, Mitchell told police, Juarez hit her arm and ripped her jacket, causing buttons to come off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a request for a restraining order, Juarez alleged Mitchell had attacked \u003cem>him.\u003c/em> A woman claimed in a sworn statement that she had witnessed Mitchell hitting herself and ripping off her own clothes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A judge barred Juarez from harassing, striking or threatening Mitchell, but Juarez successfully appealed the decision on the grounds that the judge didn’t offer him or his witnesses an opportunity to speak at the hearing. Mitchell declined to comment on the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys point to the episode as an early example of what they call Juarez’s “counter-attack” history — a pattern of alleging misconduct by others in response to accusations and lawsuits lodged against him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In another example, Juarez filed a restraining order against a man who sued him for fraud.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Mauro and Hilda Bucio alleged in an August 2011 lawsuit that Juarez, who had been their real estate agent, had failed to repay $220,000 the couple had loaned him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez filed a restraining order against Mauro Bucio the following year, alleging that he followed him at an event and hit him, causing Juarez to fear for his life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Martinez, an Emeryville-based attorney who represented the Bucios in their claim against Juarez, told KQED the assault didn’t happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My client didn’t do any of that,” he said. “I think it was an anaemic attempt to gain an advantage in our litigation, but he didn’t follow through.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a third example, Juarez in 2024 accused then-Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price of charging him with passing bad checks in retaliation for refusing to donate to her anti-recall campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez alleged that Price had pulled him aside at a gathering and said that, as DA, she could help Juarez, but that he would “need to show love and support to her” in the form of a $25,000 donation to the campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It just was ridiculous to me, the allegation,” Price said in an interview with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The case against Juarez was eventually dismissed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>He is a very disingenuous, deceitful person who will say anything to avoid responsibility. That’s what he does. He defrauds people all the time,” Price added. “And so one would be wise to make sure that you have evidence to support anything, that you can verify what he says. And I presume that they have done that,” she said, referring to the government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a Jan. 14 filing, federal prosecutors pointed out that, in fact, they did have evidence to verify what Juarez had told them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The government’s investigation revealed\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say the FBI began its investigation in early 2023 of the alleged bribery scheme involving Thao and the others — long before agents began speaking with Juarez. They argue that Juarez did not initiate the case, but rather entered an investigation that was already well underway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to federal prosecutors, agents began investigating Juarez after learning he had failed to pay for a negative campaign mailer targeting Thao’s rivals in the lead-up to the 2022 election. Juarez and the Duongs at that point had gone into business together on Evolutionary Homes, a company that aimed to convert shipping containers into housing for the homeless and sell them to local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a May 2024 911 call, Juarez alleged that a member of the Duong family had ordered a group of 10 men to assault him. Andy Duong later told a district attorney inspector a different story about that incident: that his family had walked away from their investment after Juarez only delivered two homes. Juarez, he said, had shown up at California Waste Solutions and held him and his father for hours, demanding money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991627\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991627\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FBI agents raid the Maiden Lane home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Soon after, Juarez spoke to the FBI pursuant to a proffer agreement, which allows an individual to speak with the government and not have their statements used against them in court proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By the spring of 2024, the government had amassed a significant amount of documentary evidence tying each of the Defendants and Co-Conspirator 1 to the conspiracy, including incriminating text messages, Apple notes, calendar entries, financial records showing the corrupt payments, phone records showing significant communication among Defendants at key points relating to the agreements and payments, and other documentary evidence relating to the scheme,” it reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Based on this evidence alone, they wrote, two separate judges had signed off on four previous warrants for the defendants’ iCloud accounts, email accounts and cell phone location data. The government presented the same evidence when it sought the June 2024 residential search warrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Co-Conspirator 1’s statements were included for merely ‘context and completeness,’ and explicitly informed the magistrate judge that these statements to law enforcement were not necessary to a finding of probable cause,” they wrote.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In a legal filing this week, Thao’s attorneys pushed back on that argument, saying that the documentary chain of evidence establishing Thao’s involvement in the scheme relies on Juarez’s text messages and notes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors also pointed out they had warned the magistrate judge in a multipage footnote about information relevant to Juarez’s credibility, and described his possible motivations for cooperating with the government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They say the affidavit made clear that Co-Conspirator 1 “appears to be … motivated by revenge against the Duongs and a desire to obtain protection from law enforcement from the Duongs, among any number of other potential personal motivations he may have” and also that Co-Conspirator 1 “appears to be talking ‘with the hope of obtaining some form of leniency in exchange.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information about Juarez’s past that defendants claim the FBI left out of the affidavit consisted in part of “decades-old unsworn civil complaints,” news articles and other information, they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those complaints and other materials, at most, establish “that Co-Conspirator 1 has been repeatedly \u003cem>accused\u003c/em> of fraud in civil litigation over the years,” they argued. “It is a far cry, however, from the ‘decadeslong pattern of repeatedly being found liable for defrauding business partners,’ that Defendants purport it to be.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors admit that the FBI agent who wrote the June 14, 2024, affidavit was not aware of every detail of Juarez’s past legal issues when it was filed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, they argue, he was not responsible for doing the additional investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Defendants “cite no precedent for the suggestion that agents must search and disclose all court records related to civil lawsuits related to informants, nor could they,” the filing reads. What’s more, they argue, given the information the government did disclose, not including every detail of Juarez’s civil litigation history, “cannot be considered to be reckless or material” — a key element of meeting the Franks standard.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The 2024 shooting\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Defendants also accuse the FBI of leaving out key information about a June 9, 2024, shooting that took place in front of Juarez’s Fruitvale home three days after he first spoke with agents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to David Duong’s attorneys, the June 14 search warrant affidavit had framed the shooting as a possible attempt to murder Juarez, orchestrated by the Duongs because they had learned he was cooperating with the FBI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to prosecutors, FBI agents believed at the time that the shooting could have been a targeted attack by the Duongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11992169\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11992169 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/CalWasteSolutionsWorker01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California Waste Solutions worker empties recycling bins in the Rockridge neighborhood on April 22, 2020, in Oakland, California. A campaign finance investigation into the city’s curbside recycling contractor has received renewed attention since the FBI raids. \u003ccite>(Yalonda M. James/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Given that the shooting occurred three days after Co-Conspirator 1 spoke to federal law enforcement, Co-Conspirator 1’s prior allegations that the Duongs had directed an assault on him, as well as suspicious phone tolls leading up to the shooting, the FBI believed that Co-Conspirator 1 may have been part of a targeted attack instigated by the Duongs,” the government’s filing reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Duong’s attorneys allege Juarez lied to law enforcement about what happened that night in an attempt to incriminate the Duongs and save himself from his own legal troubles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The affidavit omits evidence, collected by the FBI immediately after the shooting, that suggests the shooting was not an assassination attempt but a botched car burglary,” they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the government’s filing, Juarez had initially reported to OPD and the FBI that he confronted two individuals breaking into this vehicle, one of whom shot at him, and he returned fire. Months later, FBI agents ascertained through analysis of Juarez’s interview after the shooting, surveillance footage and Shot Spotter reports that Juarez likely shot first, rather than returning fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they interviewed him again, he changed his story, they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071611\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071611\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011026_KingofTrash-_GH_003_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Duong talks with attendees after a private screening of The King of Trash on Jan. 10, 2026, at Regal Jack London in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“During that interview, Co-Conspirator 1 stated that he shot first after another individual pointed a firearm at him, and he believed his life was in danger,” the filing reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juarez said he couldn’t recall what he initially told OPD about the shooting and that he might have miscommunicated about the sequence of events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“During that interview, Co-Conspirator 1 continued to state that he believed the shooting was orchestrated by the Duongs,” the filing states.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Despite that, prosecutors argue that even if the FBI agent had known Juarez shot first, it would not have undermined his belief that the shooting was targeted, since it took place three days after the FBI interviewed Juarez and because of Juarez’s allegation that he had been previously assaulted in an attack orchestrated by the family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They argue that Juarez’s inconsistent statements about the shooting and the other details about his “stale civil allegations of fraud” would not have changed the judge’s decision to sign off on the warrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the judge grants the Franks hearing, in order for the evidence to be suppressed, attorneys would need to prove that it’s more likely than not that the information left out was material to a finding of probable cause and that the FBI agent did not include it intentionally or with a reckless disregard for the truth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not sufficient to show that the agent made a simple mistake, Stanford criminal law professor Robert Weisberg said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not enough to show that the [FBI agent] goofed,” Weisberg said. “It’s not enough to show that he was negligent in doing so. Rather, you have to show that the FBI agent at least strongly suspected that he was not giving information that was clearly relevant to the question of probable cause, and maybe sort of was gambling.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the event there is a Franks hearing, both sides could present evidence and witnesses in open court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is why Frank’s hearings can be dramatic,” he said. “It comes pretty close to calling the FBI agent a liar.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "judge-sets-2026-trial-date-in-bribery-case-of-former-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao",
"title": "Judge Sets 2026 Trial Date in Bribery Case of Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao",
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"headTitle": "Judge Sets 2026 Trial Date in Bribery Case of Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>A federal judge has set a tentative start date next year for the corruption trial of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao\u003c/a> and her three co-defendants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao, her longtime partner Andre Jones, and businessmen David and Andy Duong, were indicted Jan. 9 in what federal prosecutors have described as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">an alleged “pay-to-play” scheme\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Duong, the head of California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s curbside recycling provider, along with his son Andy, ran a company called Evolutionary Homes that aimed to sell converted shipping containers to Bay Area cities as housing for the homeless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. attorneys allege Thao agreed to take action as mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">to commit Oakland\u003c/a> to purchase units from the Duongs’ housing company in exchange for kickbacks and favors for Thao and Jones, including the funding of negative campaign mailers targeting her opponents in the 2022 mayoral race. Thao also allegedly agreed to extend the Duongs’ recycling company contract with the city, and appoint senior city officials hand-picked by the Duongs and an unnamed co-conspirator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment laid out charges including conspiracy, bribery, honest services mail fraud and honest services wire fraud. Andy Duong was charged with an additional count of making false statements to a government agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991627\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991627\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FBI agents raid the Maiden Lane home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside a federal courtroom in downtown Oakland on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers tentatively scheduled the trial for Oct. 19 of next year, with jury selection expected to take place the week prior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The parties are expected to return in January to discuss deadlines for producing materials like witness and exhibit lists. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Priedeman said federal prosecutors expect presenting their case in chief will take about three weeks, with the complete trial lasting no more than five weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The investigation is ongoing, Priedeman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorneys for defendants in the case said prosecutors had turned over an enormous amount of discovery in the case, including 2.5 terabytes of data and voluminous documents.[aside postID=news_12022612 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1020x680.jpg']Federal prosecutors said they had seized devices, including one phone and one laptop, from San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo, who was recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061916/federal-prosecutors-charge-san-leandro-city-councilmember-with-fraud-lying-to-investigators\">charged in a related conspiracy\u003c/a> case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azevedo, whose case appears to be closely related to that of Thao, Jones and the Duongs, allegedly agreed to use his power as an elected official to benefit a company in exchange for his own personal financial gain. Prosecutors have said they are close to resolving Azevedo’s case and do not expect a trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorney, Jeff Tsai, said on Thursday that she plans to file papers to join a motion \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">filed by attorneys representing David Duong\u003c/a> in late October that asked Gonzalez Rogers to throw out evidence seized in a June 2024 raid of his home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their filing, Duong’s lawyers accuse the FBI of failing to disclose all relevant information about a key informant in the case in an affidavit used to secure the warrant to search Duong’s home, cars and business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The informant, attorneys argued, has a history of fraud and dishonesty, the complete details of which, they said, were not included in the affidavit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The informant, who is identified in a Jan. 9 indictment as “Co-Conspirator 1,” is widely believed to be businessman and two-time Oakland City Council candidate, Mario Juarez.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A federal judge has set a tentative start date next year for the corruption trial of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao\u003c/a> and her three co-defendants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao, her longtime partner Andre Jones, and businessmen David and Andy Duong, were indicted Jan. 9 in what federal prosecutors have described as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">an alleged “pay-to-play” scheme\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Duong, the head of California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s curbside recycling provider, along with his son Andy, ran a company called Evolutionary Homes that aimed to sell converted shipping containers to Bay Area cities as housing for the homeless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. attorneys allege Thao agreed to take action as mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">to commit Oakland\u003c/a> to purchase units from the Duongs’ housing company in exchange for kickbacks and favors for Thao and Jones, including the funding of negative campaign mailers targeting her opponents in the 2022 mayoral race. Thao also allegedly agreed to extend the Duongs’ recycling company contract with the city, and appoint senior city officials hand-picked by the Duongs and an unnamed co-conspirator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment laid out charges including conspiracy, bribery, honest services mail fraud and honest services wire fraud. Andy Duong was charged with an additional count of making false statements to a government agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991627\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991627\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FBI agents raid the Maiden Lane home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside a federal courtroom in downtown Oakland on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers tentatively scheduled the trial for Oct. 19 of next year, with jury selection expected to take place the week prior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The parties are expected to return in January to discuss deadlines for producing materials like witness and exhibit lists. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Priedeman said federal prosecutors expect presenting their case in chief will take about three weeks, with the complete trial lasting no more than five weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The investigation is ongoing, Priedeman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorneys for defendants in the case said prosecutors had turned over an enormous amount of discovery in the case, including 2.5 terabytes of data and voluminous documents.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Federal prosecutors said they had seized devices, including one phone and one laptop, from San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo, who was recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061916/federal-prosecutors-charge-san-leandro-city-councilmember-with-fraud-lying-to-investigators\">charged in a related conspiracy\u003c/a> case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azevedo, whose case appears to be closely related to that of Thao, Jones and the Duongs, allegedly agreed to use his power as an elected official to benefit a company in exchange for his own personal financial gain. Prosecutors have said they are close to resolving Azevedo’s case and do not expect a trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorney, Jeff Tsai, said on Thursday that she plans to file papers to join a motion \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062614/defense-in-oakland-corruption-case-files-motion-targeting-key-informants-credibility\">filed by attorneys representing David Duong\u003c/a> in late October that asked Gonzalez Rogers to throw out evidence seized in a June 2024 raid of his home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their filing, Duong’s lawyers accuse the FBI of failing to disclose all relevant information about a key informant in the case in an affidavit used to secure the warrant to search Duong’s home, cars and business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The informant, attorneys argued, has a history of fraud and dishonesty, the complete details of which, they said, were not included in the affidavit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The informant, who is identified in a Jan. 9 indictment as “Co-Conspirator 1,” is widely believed to be businessman and two-time Oakland City Council candidate, Mario Juarez.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a> said Friday she was surprised to learn that the U.S. Coast Guard is looking to take control of a city-owned road and bridge to the agency’s Alameda base, where \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061191/activists-federal-agents-clash-at-coast-guard-base-during-immigration-crackdown\">protests erupted last month\u003c/a> over a planned immigration enforcement surge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee told KQED that she found out about the Coast Guard’s request like everyone else: through the news, which the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> first reported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a large immigrant community in Oakland. We don’t cooperate with ICE. This is something that we’re looking at and trying to understand what they’re talking about and why they would even think about doing this here,” she said. “They never called me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a Monday email to Brendan Moriarty, Oakland’s director of real estate and special projects, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Jordan Converse expressed interest in obtaining “permanent control of the roadway extending from the Embarcadero and Dennison St intersection back to the Port of Oakland Parcel Boundary.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Converse, who heads the Coast Guard’s real estate management on the West Coast, said the agency was interested in purchasing the property through either a permanent easement or fee title to the property.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063475\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Law enforcement officers investigate the entrance to Coast Guard Base Alameda after shots were fired at a U-Haul truck, according to an officer at the scene on Oct. 24, 2025, in Oakland, California. \u003ccite>(Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The road became a flashpoint late last month after the Trump administration planned to use Alameda’s Coast Guard Island as a staging ground for dozens of\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061080/federal-border-agents-to-arrive-in-bay-area-as-cities-brace-for-enforcement-surge\"> federal agents\u003c/a> as part of a widely anticipated ramp-up of immigration enforcement in the Bay Area. The action was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061209/lurie-trump-is-calling-off-plans-to-send-federal-troops-to-san-francisco\">eventually called off\u003c/a> after President Trump said he spoke with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the rally on the bridge on Oct. 23 was mostly peaceful, two people were arrested, and federal officers injured some protesters with less-lethal weapons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061191/activists-federal-agents-clash-at-coast-guard-base-during-immigration-crackdown\">Tensions flared again at night\u003c/a> when some protesters refused to leave the bridge and a U-Haul truck backed toward the Coast Guard blockade, leading law enforcement to open fire, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061436/2-injured-after-officers-shoot-at-truck-outside-alameda-base-following-day-of-protests\">injuring two people\u003c/a>. The suspected driver has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062859/suspected-u-haul-driver-charged-with-assaulting-federal-officers-after-bay-area-protest\">been charged\u003c/a>.[aside postID=news_12062859 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP.jpg']Sean Maher, a city spokesperson, said the request to give up the land would require review and City Council approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Coast Guard may already have an ally on Oakland City Council. Noel Gallo, whose district includes the road to the island, told KQED on Friday that he has been meeting with the Coast Guard “on a regular basis” and is willing to consider the request in exchange for “their help” with issues in their vicinity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This includes a nascent idea to build a $25 million housing project for veterans near Union Point Park, south of the approach that the Coast Guard hopes to annex. Gallo also said he wants the Coast Guard to continue to help the city remove abandoned boats and debris from the Oakland Estuary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gallo met with Converse and two other Coast Guard officials on Friday afternoon at the road, which is currently managed by Oakland’s Department of Transportation and provides the only public vehicle access to the island.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to work together, and that’s what’s missing within government,” Gallo said. “For me, it is very plain and very direct that I need to work with the Coast Guard. They’re asking for access to property that hasn’t been used for years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a> said Friday she was surprised to learn that the U.S. Coast Guard is looking to take control of a city-owned road and bridge to the agency’s Alameda base, where \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061191/activists-federal-agents-clash-at-coast-guard-base-during-immigration-crackdown\">protests erupted last month\u003c/a> over a planned immigration enforcement surge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee told KQED that she found out about the Coast Guard’s request like everyone else: through the news, which the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> first reported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a large immigrant community in Oakland. We don’t cooperate with ICE. This is something that we’re looking at and trying to understand what they’re talking about and why they would even think about doing this here,” she said. “They never called me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a Monday email to Brendan Moriarty, Oakland’s director of real estate and special projects, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Jordan Converse expressed interest in obtaining “permanent control of the roadway extending from the Embarcadero and Dennison St intersection back to the Port of Oakland Parcel Boundary.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Converse, who heads the Coast Guard’s real estate management on the West Coast, said the agency was interested in purchasing the property through either a permanent easement or fee title to the property.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063475\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulAP2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Law enforcement officers investigate the entrance to Coast Guard Base Alameda after shots were fired at a U-Haul truck, according to an officer at the scene on Oct. 24, 2025, in Oakland, California. \u003ccite>(Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The road became a flashpoint late last month after the Trump administration planned to use Alameda’s Coast Guard Island as a staging ground for dozens of\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061080/federal-border-agents-to-arrive-in-bay-area-as-cities-brace-for-enforcement-surge\"> federal agents\u003c/a> as part of a widely anticipated ramp-up of immigration enforcement in the Bay Area. The action was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061209/lurie-trump-is-calling-off-plans-to-send-federal-troops-to-san-francisco\">eventually called off\u003c/a> after President Trump said he spoke with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the rally on the bridge on Oct. 23 was mostly peaceful, two people were arrested, and federal officers injured some protesters with less-lethal weapons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061191/activists-federal-agents-clash-at-coast-guard-base-during-immigration-crackdown\">Tensions flared again at night\u003c/a> when some protesters refused to leave the bridge and a U-Haul truck backed toward the Coast Guard blockade, leading law enforcement to open fire, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061436/2-injured-after-officers-shoot-at-truck-outside-alameda-base-following-day-of-protests\">injuring two people\u003c/a>. The suspected driver has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062859/suspected-u-haul-driver-charged-with-assaulting-federal-officers-after-bay-area-protest\">been charged\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Sean Maher, a city spokesperson, said the request to give up the land would require review and City Council approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Coast Guard may already have an ally on Oakland City Council. Noel Gallo, whose district includes the road to the island, told KQED on Friday that he has been meeting with the Coast Guard “on a regular basis” and is willing to consider the request in exchange for “their help” with issues in their vicinity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This includes a nascent idea to build a $25 million housing project for veterans near Union Point Park, south of the approach that the Coast Guard hopes to annex. Gallo also said he wants the Coast Guard to continue to help the city remove abandoned boats and debris from the Oakland Estuary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gallo met with Converse and two other Coast Guard officials on Friday afternoon at the road, which is currently managed by Oakland’s Department of Transportation and provides the only public vehicle access to the island.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to work together, and that’s what’s missing within government,” Gallo said. “For me, it is very plain and very direct that I need to work with the Coast Guard. They’re asking for access to property that hasn’t been used for years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Man Charged With Threatening Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee Struggled With Mental Health",
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"content": "\u003cp>A man who was charged with sending racist and threatening emails to Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a> has struggled with mental health issues in the past, according to court records and his father.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Brooks Pokorny was arrested Oct. 7 in Southern California on suspicion of sending numerous emails with “extremely racist tones and threats to kill multiple different government officials,” including the mayor, according to a statement of probable cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny, 45, pleaded not guilty Oct. 10 to one felony count of threatening public officials or judges with a hate crime enhancement. An Alameda County judge set Pokorny’s bail at $70,000. As of Thursday, he remained in custody at the Santa Rita Jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reached by phone on Wednesday, Pokorny’s father, Gary Pokorny, said his son hasn’t lived in the Bay Area for years and does not have a permanent address that he is aware of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said he knew his son had been arrested but didn’t know why, and had been trying to reach him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gary Pokorny, a former city manager for El Cerrito and Walnut Creek, said he had no idea why his son would make threats against Lee but expressed sadness at his arrest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11918236\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11918236\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A blue door framed by a fence with a sign at the top saying "Alameda County Sheriff's Office"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1155\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-800x481.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-1020x614.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-1536x924.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The intake, transfer and release area at the Santa Rita Jail, in Dublin, on Aug. 4, 2016. \u003ccite>(Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“He has had some mental health issues in the past,” Gary Pokorny said. “That’s all I’ll say.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public records show Pokorny’s parents asked for a court’s protection several times in 2014 and 2015 after they said their son had been violent or threatened them and was taken to a mental health facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In May 2014, the Pokornys alleged, the father and son were involved in a physical altercation that left Gary Pokorny “severely bruised” and ended with David Pokorny getting into an ambulance to go to a crisis stabilization unit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after, in July, David threatened his mother after she did not immediately move a TV set for him, according to a statement included in a May 2015 request for a restraining order filed by Gary Pokorny.[aside postID=news_12055131 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250814-OaklandPushback-10_qed.jpg']According to the statement, David Pokorny threatened and physically assaulted his mother. He allegedly told police responding to a 911 call that day that he had considered suicide many times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He talked at length about conspiracies to control thought, i.e., ‘My mind has been hijacked by the Russians.’ He wanted Gary to get a tape recorder to record him talking about all these things,” the document reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Pokorny was restrained and hospitalized after the incident, according to his parents’ statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following year, his parents filed another request for a restraining order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are deeply worried and anxious about David’s health. He must get help, or his [and our] future is bleak,” they wrote in a detailed description of an incident in which they returned from a trip to Europe and were unable to reach David, who was house-sitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Pokorny eventually called his mother, telling his parents “to go back to Europe and die” and that he was tired of being pushed around for 35 years. He later arrived at his parents’ home and tried to spit on his father, they alleged, telling him to “kneel down in front of me and lick the bottom of my shoe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny’s parents wrote that they later discovered their son had sent them emails containing statements like, “Do not try to call me, visit me, or text me. I have fucking had it with you two,” and “You are a brutal, sick, twisted individual, and I do not like you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the May 2015 statement, his parents wrote that they told a police officer they had previously been granted temporary restraining orders but had not served them because they thought they could work things out and get David into treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036987\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036987\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee holds a press conference in Oakland on April 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We are asking for a temporary restraining order today and will serve it to make it permanent this time as his condition and his threatening behavior is worsening with time,” they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That month, a court barred David Pokorny from coming within 100 yards of his parents, their home or his father’s workplace. It expired in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gary Pokorny declined to comment on the restraining order in a phone call with KQED, saying that it was “in the past.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny said his son previously worked in coding and was once an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley. He said he couldn’t recall the last time he had spoken to his son.[aside postID=news_12059022 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/258_KQED_NewFolsomPrisonSacramento_04132023-1020x680.jpg']On Wednesday, David Pokorny appeared in a downtown Oakland courtroom alongside his public defender, wearing a red Alameda County Jail shirt and glasses. His greying beard appeared unkempt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If convicted, Pokorny could face up to six years in state prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Police records describe threatening emails to Lee reminiscent of the violent language Pokorny’s parents said he used with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Investigators first became aware of the recent threats against Lee and other government officials after a staff member in the mayor’s office discovered a large number of explicit threats from an unfamiliar Google account in the mayor’s inbox.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first email, sent on Sept. 7, according to a declaration of probable cause for warrantless arrest filed in Alameda County, was rife with racist slurs, saying that Black people in Oakland “and the people that want to keep them alive are enemy combatants, and I have a legal right to kill them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we should kill all of the government officials in Oakland and all of the police officers and judges in Oakland as well,” the email continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another email, sent to Lee on Sept. 21, read: “You are a psychopath, and I’m going to torture and murder you,” according to the declaration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A city staffer provided police with screenshots and a USB with a large number of other emails, including some with references to slavery and people in cages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement following Pokorny’s arrest, Lee said: “Violence has no place in our city or our democracy. Intimidation and hate will not silence Oakland public servants or the communities we represent. We will continue to do the people’s work — regardless of circumstances.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 23.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A man who was charged with sending racist and threatening emails to Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a> has struggled with mental health issues in the past, according to court records and his father.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Brooks Pokorny was arrested Oct. 7 in Southern California on suspicion of sending numerous emails with “extremely racist tones and threats to kill multiple different government officials,” including the mayor, according to a statement of probable cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny, 45, pleaded not guilty Oct. 10 to one felony count of threatening public officials or judges with a hate crime enhancement. An Alameda County judge set Pokorny’s bail at $70,000. As of Thursday, he remained in custody at the Santa Rita Jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reached by phone on Wednesday, Pokorny’s father, Gary Pokorny, said his son hasn’t lived in the Bay Area for years and does not have a permanent address that he is aware of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said he knew his son had been arrested but didn’t know why, and had been trying to reach him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gary Pokorny, a former city manager for El Cerrito and Walnut Creek, said he had no idea why his son would make threats against Lee but expressed sadness at his arrest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11918236\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11918236\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A blue door framed by a fence with a sign at the top saying "Alameda County Sheriff's Office"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1155\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-800x481.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-1020x614.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/06/RS56996_GettyImages-1321825234-qut-1536x924.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The intake, transfer and release area at the Santa Rita Jail, in Dublin, on Aug. 4, 2016. \u003ccite>(Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“He has had some mental health issues in the past,” Gary Pokorny said. “That’s all I’ll say.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public records show Pokorny’s parents asked for a court’s protection several times in 2014 and 2015 after they said their son had been violent or threatened them and was taken to a mental health facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In May 2014, the Pokornys alleged, the father and son were involved in a physical altercation that left Gary Pokorny “severely bruised” and ended with David Pokorny getting into an ambulance to go to a crisis stabilization unit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after, in July, David threatened his mother after she did not immediately move a TV set for him, according to a statement included in a May 2015 request for a restraining order filed by Gary Pokorny.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>According to the statement, David Pokorny threatened and physically assaulted his mother. He allegedly told police responding to a 911 call that day that he had considered suicide many times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He talked at length about conspiracies to control thought, i.e., ‘My mind has been hijacked by the Russians.’ He wanted Gary to get a tape recorder to record him talking about all these things,” the document reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Pokorny was restrained and hospitalized after the incident, according to his parents’ statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following year, his parents filed another request for a restraining order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are deeply worried and anxious about David’s health. He must get help, or his [and our] future is bleak,” they wrote in a detailed description of an incident in which they returned from a trip to Europe and were unable to reach David, who was house-sitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Pokorny eventually called his mother, telling his parents “to go back to Europe and die” and that he was tired of being pushed around for 35 years. He later arrived at his parents’ home and tried to spit on his father, they alleged, telling him to “kneel down in front of me and lick the bottom of my shoe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny’s parents wrote that they later discovered their son had sent them emails containing statements like, “Do not try to call me, visit me, or text me. I have fucking had it with you two,” and “You are a brutal, sick, twisted individual, and I do not like you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the May 2015 statement, his parents wrote that they told a police officer they had previously been granted temporary restraining orders but had not served them because they thought they could work things out and get David into treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036987\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036987\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee holds a press conference in Oakland on April 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We are asking for a temporary restraining order today and will serve it to make it permanent this time as his condition and his threatening behavior is worsening with time,” they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That month, a court barred David Pokorny from coming within 100 yards of his parents, their home or his father’s workplace. It expired in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gary Pokorny declined to comment on the restraining order in a phone call with KQED, saying that it was “in the past.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny said his son previously worked in coding and was once an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley. He said he couldn’t recall the last time he had spoken to his son.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>On Wednesday, David Pokorny appeared in a downtown Oakland courtroom alongside his public defender, wearing a red Alameda County Jail shirt and glasses. His greying beard appeared unkempt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If convicted, Pokorny could face up to six years in state prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Police records describe threatening emails to Lee reminiscent of the violent language Pokorny’s parents said he used with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Investigators first became aware of the recent threats against Lee and other government officials after a staff member in the mayor’s office discovered a large number of explicit threats from an unfamiliar Google account in the mayor’s inbox.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first email, sent on Sept. 7, according to a declaration of probable cause for warrantless arrest filed in Alameda County, was rife with racist slurs, saying that Black people in Oakland “and the people that want to keep them alive are enemy combatants, and I have a legal right to kill them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we should kill all of the government officials in Oakland and all of the police officers and judges in Oakland as well,” the email continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another email, sent to Lee on Sept. 21, read: “You are a psychopath, and I’m going to torture and murder you,” according to the declaration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A city staffer provided police with screenshots and a USB with a large number of other emails, including some with references to slavery and people in cages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement following Pokorny’s arrest, Lee said: “Violence has no place in our city or our democracy. Intimidation and hate will not silence Oakland public servants or the communities we represent. We will continue to do the people’s work — regardless of circumstances.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pokorny is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 23.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "san-leandro-lawsuit-documents-shed-light-on-company-at-center-of-oakland-fbi-probe",
"title": "San Leandro Lawsuit, Documents Shed Light on Company at Center of Oakland FBI Probe",
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"headTitle": "San Leandro Lawsuit, Documents Shed Light on Company at Center of Oakland FBI Probe | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>It was late 2023 when Frances Robustelli found herself in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> waterfront showroom of Evolutionary Homes. The company was converting shipping containers into housing for homeless people and attempting to sell them to local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli, who was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-leandro\">San Leandro\u003c/a>’s city manager at the time, had been invited by two San Leandro city council members, Victor Aguilar and Bryan Azevedo, according to a lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit alleges the visit was part of an effort by members of the Duong family, who owned Evolutionary Homes, to lobby San Francisco Bay Area politicians to promote the establishment of tiny home developments in Bay Area cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli told Aguilar and Azevedo that the city had neither the funding nor the land for a tiny homes project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company, the lawsuit claims, pitched an ordinance that would allow the city to more quickly purchase homes like the ones the company aimed to sell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli filed the lawsuit in Alameda County in June, alleging that when she opposed the proposal, Azevedo and Aguilar voiced their unhappiness. Together with another council member, they would harass and intimidate her that year and the following, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city has denied the allegations and, on July 28, filed a motion to have the complaint in the case thrown out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052137\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052137\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown San Leandro on Sept. 13, 2022. \u003ccite>(Matt Gush/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The City will respond through the appropriate legal channels,” San Leandro Mayor Juan González said in a statement to KQED. “While we cannot comment on the specifics of pending litigation, I want to reaffirm our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the continued service to our community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli declined to comment, citing the advice of her attorney. Aguilar also declined to comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azevedo was seen at the federal building in Oakland Thursday morning, where he said he was meeting with an attorney. But he declined to comment further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the months since former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991242/fbi-agents-raid-home-of-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao\u003c/a>, her partner, Andre Jones, and David and Andy Duong were indicted on bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges, questions have circulated around whether the FBI’s corruption probe extends to Azevedo, whose home was raided by federal agents in January.[aside postID=news_12022900 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00001-1020x681.jpg']Those questions only intensified after federal prosecutors notified the council member in May that he is the target of a federal investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the contents of Robustelli’s lawsuit, together with documents released by San Leandro in response to a federal grand jury subpoena, give clues as to what the FBI may have been looking for when they raided Azevedo’s home and shed light on where the ongoing investigation could be headed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A Jan. 9 indictment charging Thao and the other three defendants describes an alleged pay-to-play scheme involving a housing company that is widely believed to be Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment alleges Thao promised Oakland would purchase housing units from the company, along with other favors, in exchange for payments to Jones and negative mailers targeting her opponents in the 2022 mayoral election. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A week after FBI agents raided Thao’s home in June 2024, Azevedo defended himself from “rumors” tying him to the scandal in a \u003ca href=\"https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/0de/bc3/june-27--2024.pdf\">letter to the editor\u003c/a> of the \u003cem>San Leandro Times\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12022840\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12022840\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andre Jones, longtime partner of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, leaves the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I want to set the record straight. I don’t know anything about this alleged corruption nor do I believe that we should assume that corruption has happened until the facts come out,” Azevedo wrote, adding that he had received and reported a $2,000 campaign contribution from Andy Duong in support of his unsuccessful 2022 mayoral run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal prosecutors in May notified Azevedo that he was the target of a federal investigation regarding criminal violations of federal laws, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and false statements in a federal investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you are interested in resolving this matter short of an indictment, please have your attorney contact the undersigned,” U.S. attorneys told Azevedo in a May 12 letter. “If no contact is made with our office prior to May 30, 2025, the matter will proceed in the ordinary course of prosecution.”[aside postID=news_11993390 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GettyImages-2157862759-KQED-1020x680.jpg']To date, Azevedo has not been charged with a crime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Robustelli’s lawsuit, in October 2023, while she was out sick with COVID-19, Aguilar moved to place an urgent item on the council’s agenda to discuss the potential of obtaining an emergency homelessness declaration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The draft emergency declaration, the lawsuit alleges, sought to expand the powers of the city manager and staff to bypass the city’s normally required purchasing procedures and more quickly procure tiny homes from the Duongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The suit alleges Robustelli told Aguilar and other supporters of the declaration that it was neither needed nor financially feasible for the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In her role as City Manager, Ms. Robustelli was well informed of the homelessness issues in San Leandro at the time, and there simply was no state of emergency as to homelessness in San Leandro,” the complaint reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city had also obtained funding through the state’s Project Homekey program to renovate a motel into permanent low-rent housing and establish a navigation center, according to the lawsuit, which would provide housing to the city’s homeless population. Aguilar and Azevedo were presumably aware of the funding, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991432\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991432\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. postal inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences to members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Ms. Robustelli later learned, in or around 2024, that Councilmembers Azevedo and Aguilar were being pressured by the Evolutionary Homes vendor,” the lawsuit said. “Representatives for Evolutionary Homes not only pitched the proposed ordinance that would accelerate the City’s ability to purchase and install the container homes, but also wrote the proposed ordinance for City officials.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Leandro city records released in response to a Jan. 14 federal grand jury subpoena included emails from 2023 between an Evolutionary Homes representative and city staff about an ordinance like the one described in Robustelli’s lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thank you so much for chatting with me today,” Julie Wedge, a consultant working with the company, wrote to deputy city manager Eric Engelbart on Sept. 19. “Attached please find the San Leandro presentation, the Evolutionary Homes flyer, and the draft language for the ordinance based on what passed today in Alameda County and what we hope will pass in Oakland later today as well.”[aside postID=news_12022612 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00005-1020x680.jpg']“Please let me know when we can bring you and any other appropriate staff and Councilmembers to our showroom to see the two model units,” Wedge said. “Looking forward to meeting you in person and please reach out with any questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attached to the email was a template for an emergency ordinance with fill-in-the-blank spaces for statistics on homelessness. Slides showing the interiors of shipping containers converted into apartments were also included.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an Aug. 11 phone interview, Wedge said her work with Evolutionary Homes, which is no longer in business, was unpaid. She said the company reached out to multiple California cities and counties, in addition to the California National Guard, to see if they would be interested in the homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was nothing illegal or improper about the proposed ordinance, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know why everybody seems to think that trying to do an emergency shelter ordinance was some shady deal or some problem or issue. It’s actually good public policy,” Wedge said. “Everything around the shelter ordinance was a public process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emails show other city employees were hesitant to approve the ordinance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m inclined to hold on passing a local emergency declaration until directed by the County to do so,” Human Services Director Jessica Lobedan responded to Engelbart and San Leandro’s Community Development Director Thomas Liao on Sept. 25. “My understanding of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11961820/alameda-county-declares-state-of-emergency-on-homelessness-what-does-that-mean\">County’s declaration\u003c/a> was that it directs County staff to develop an emergency response plan. Until knowing more, it might be premature to do anything locally,” she wrote. Liao agreed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052150\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052150\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown San Leandro, on Sept. 16, 2022. \u003ccite>(Matt Gush/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In an interview, Liao said he didn’t think the way the ordinance was brought forward by Evolutionary Homes seemed appropriate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t farm out the drafting of ordinances, typically. We would want to have some touch on that as staff,” he said. “We don’t take things wholesale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staff ultimately recommended that the city not move forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to give you a heads up that some significant changes had to be made to the resolution that you provided to us because the content was not applicable to the City,” Robustelli wrote to Aguilar on Oct. 26. “Staff does not recommend moving forward with this resolution. I did not want you to be surprised about the content of my message for the 11/6 council meeting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On June 17, 2024, the city council voted to take no action on the declaration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli eventually left the job, the lawsuit alleges, citing life-threatening health issues.[aside postID=news_12051947 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1246387515-1020x680.jpg']In addition to the allegations surrounding Evolutionary Homes, Robustelli’s lawsuit claims Aguilar and San Leandro city council member Fred Simon repeatedly interfered with her duties as city manager and threatened her when she protested or refused to do their bidding. More often than not, they were assisted by Azevedo, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their actions, the lawsuit alleges, were in retaliation for her refusal to condone unethical behavior or support individual demands she viewed as unethical, improper or unlawful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli alleges Simon submitted for reimbursement for mileage to and from his home and city hall and for non-city travel. Despite having medical benefits from his public employer and one other public agency, Simon also made a claim for medical reimbursement with the city for not electing medical coverage, the lawsuit alleges, enabling him to collect health benefits from three separate public entities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Simon and Aguilar made increasingly obscure and demanding requests to Robustelli to force her to resign, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanleandro.org/DocumentCenter/View/11474/Former-CM-Complaint-Inv---1172024-Press-Release-?bidId=\">officially censured\u003c/a> council members Simon and Aguilar for interfering with Robustelli’s duties in violation of the city charter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Simon did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pauline Cutter, who was San Leandro’s mayor from 2015 to 2022, recalled Robustelli being frequently upset.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991244\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991244\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FBI agents are seen at 80 Maiden Lane in Oakland on June 20, 2024, carrying multiple boxes from a residence. After loading the boxes into their vehicles, the agents departed without commenting to reporters, only confirming that they had cleared the scene and no agents remained. \u003ccite>(Annelise Finney/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There was pressure against Fran to do kind of the bidding of the three council members. And a city manager can’t do that. They can’t take sides,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June 2024, FBI agents raided Thao’s home and several other properties associated with the Duongs, including the Oakland offices of the recycling company, California Waste Solutions, which is owned by the Duongs and has contracts with the cities of Oakland and San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his letter to the \u003cem>San Leandro Times\u003c/em> that month, Azevedo denied that he said California Waste Solutions should be awarded a city contract with San Leandro and defended his participation in a 2023 Vietnam trip that Thao and other East Bay officials also attended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wedge said she didn’t know Evolutionary Homes was falling apart until FBI agents showed up on her doorstep the same day as the raids in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They thought that I was going to be a witness,” Wedge said. “They thought I knew. They thought I was in those meetings,” she said, referring to meetings described in the indictment that allegedly took place between Thao, Jones and the Duongs about a pay-to-play scheme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was not in those meetings. I didn’t know any of that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around seven months later, agents raided Azevedo’s home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emails from that week, reviewed by KQED, show San Leandro city officials scrambling to nail down whether the city had ever done business with the Duongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Can you please research the following business to see if the City has conducted business with them?” a city spokesperson wrote to the acting finance manager, adding: “Evolutionary Homes, LLC.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A review of payments to the city, business licenses and financial records turned up nothing, according to the emails.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/post/bryan-azevedo-department-justice-targets-san-leandro-city-council-member-sheng-thao-corruption-investigation/16649211/\">interview\u003c/a> that was broadcast in June, Azevedo told ABC 7 that he had counted the days between when the FBI raided Thao’s home and when she was indicted. He said he was waiting to see if he would be arrested, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They shouldn’t have as much stuff on me,” Azevedo said. “Because I didn’t do nothing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked whether there was an arrangement between him and the Duongs, Azevedo said, “I don’t remember nothing, no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He later added, “I don’t want to comment on that because no, there was no arrangement on that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It was late 2023 when Frances Robustelli found herself in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> waterfront showroom of Evolutionary Homes. The company was converting shipping containers into housing for homeless people and attempting to sell them to local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli, who was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-leandro\">San Leandro\u003c/a>’s city manager at the time, had been invited by two San Leandro city council members, Victor Aguilar and Bryan Azevedo, according to a lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit alleges the visit was part of an effort by members of the Duong family, who owned Evolutionary Homes, to lobby San Francisco Bay Area politicians to promote the establishment of tiny home developments in Bay Area cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli told Aguilar and Azevedo that the city had neither the funding nor the land for a tiny homes project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company, the lawsuit claims, pitched an ordinance that would allow the city to more quickly purchase homes like the ones the company aimed to sell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli filed the lawsuit in Alameda County in June, alleging that when she opposed the proposal, Azevedo and Aguilar voiced their unhappiness. Together with another council member, they would harass and intimidate her that year and the following, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city has denied the allegations and, on July 28, filed a motion to have the complaint in the case thrown out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052137\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052137\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanLeandroGetty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown San Leandro on Sept. 13, 2022. \u003ccite>(Matt Gush/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The City will respond through the appropriate legal channels,” San Leandro Mayor Juan González said in a statement to KQED. “While we cannot comment on the specifics of pending litigation, I want to reaffirm our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the continued service to our community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli declined to comment, citing the advice of her attorney. Aguilar also declined to comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azevedo was seen at the federal building in Oakland Thursday morning, where he said he was meeting with an attorney. But he declined to comment further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the months since former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991242/fbi-agents-raid-home-of-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao\u003c/a>, her partner, Andre Jones, and David and Andy Duong were indicted on bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges, questions have circulated around whether the FBI’s corruption probe extends to Azevedo, whose home was raided by federal agents in January.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Those questions only intensified after federal prosecutors notified the council member in May that he is the target of a federal investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the contents of Robustelli’s lawsuit, together with documents released by San Leandro in response to a federal grand jury subpoena, give clues as to what the FBI may have been looking for when they raided Azevedo’s home and shed light on where the ongoing investigation could be headed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A Jan. 9 indictment charging Thao and the other three defendants describes an alleged pay-to-play scheme involving a housing company that is widely believed to be Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment alleges Thao promised Oakland would purchase housing units from the company, along with other favors, in exchange for payments to Jones and negative mailers targeting her opponents in the 2022 mayoral election. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A week after FBI agents raided Thao’s home in June 2024, Azevedo defended himself from “rumors” tying him to the scandal in a \u003ca href=\"https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/0de/bc3/june-27--2024.pdf\">letter to the editor\u003c/a> of the \u003cem>San Leandro Times\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12022840\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12022840\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250117_Thao-Recall_BL_00009-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andre Jones, longtime partner of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, leaves the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I want to set the record straight. I don’t know anything about this alleged corruption nor do I believe that we should assume that corruption has happened until the facts come out,” Azevedo wrote, adding that he had received and reported a $2,000 campaign contribution from Andy Duong in support of his unsuccessful 2022 mayoral run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal prosecutors in May notified Azevedo that he was the target of a federal investigation regarding criminal violations of federal laws, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and false statements in a federal investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you are interested in resolving this matter short of an indictment, please have your attorney contact the undersigned,” U.S. attorneys told Azevedo in a May 12 letter. “If no contact is made with our office prior to May 30, 2025, the matter will proceed in the ordinary course of prosecution.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>To date, Azevedo has not been charged with a crime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Robustelli’s lawsuit, in October 2023, while she was out sick with COVID-19, Aguilar moved to place an urgent item on the council’s agenda to discuss the potential of obtaining an emergency homelessness declaration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The draft emergency declaration, the lawsuit alleges, sought to expand the powers of the city manager and staff to bypass the city’s normally required purchasing procedures and more quickly procure tiny homes from the Duongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The suit alleges Robustelli told Aguilar and other supporters of the declaration that it was neither needed nor financially feasible for the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In her role as City Manager, Ms. Robustelli was well informed of the homelessness issues in San Leandro at the time, and there simply was no state of emergency as to homelessness in San Leandro,” the complaint reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city had also obtained funding through the state’s Project Homekey program to renovate a motel into permanent low-rent housing and establish a navigation center, according to the lawsuit, which would provide housing to the city’s homeless population. Aguilar and Azevedo were presumably aware of the funding, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991432\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991432\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/GETTYIMAGES-2158502017-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. postal inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences to members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland on June 20, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Ms. Robustelli later learned, in or around 2024, that Councilmembers Azevedo and Aguilar were being pressured by the Evolutionary Homes vendor,” the lawsuit said. “Representatives for Evolutionary Homes not only pitched the proposed ordinance that would accelerate the City’s ability to purchase and install the container homes, but also wrote the proposed ordinance for City officials.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Leandro city records released in response to a Jan. 14 federal grand jury subpoena included emails from 2023 between an Evolutionary Homes representative and city staff about an ordinance like the one described in Robustelli’s lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thank you so much for chatting with me today,” Julie Wedge, a consultant working with the company, wrote to deputy city manager Eric Engelbart on Sept. 19. “Attached please find the San Leandro presentation, the Evolutionary Homes flyer, and the draft language for the ordinance based on what passed today in Alameda County and what we hope will pass in Oakland later today as well.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Please let me know when we can bring you and any other appropriate staff and Councilmembers to our showroom to see the two model units,” Wedge said. “Looking forward to meeting you in person and please reach out with any questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attached to the email was a template for an emergency ordinance with fill-in-the-blank spaces for statistics on homelessness. Slides showing the interiors of shipping containers converted into apartments were also included.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an Aug. 11 phone interview, Wedge said her work with Evolutionary Homes, which is no longer in business, was unpaid. She said the company reached out to multiple California cities and counties, in addition to the California National Guard, to see if they would be interested in the homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was nothing illegal or improper about the proposed ordinance, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know why everybody seems to think that trying to do an emergency shelter ordinance was some shady deal or some problem or issue. It’s actually good public policy,” Wedge said. “Everything around the shelter ordinance was a public process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emails show other city employees were hesitant to approve the ordinance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m inclined to hold on passing a local emergency declaration until directed by the County to do so,” Human Services Director Jessica Lobedan responded to Engelbart and San Leandro’s Community Development Director Thomas Liao on Sept. 25. “My understanding of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11961820/alameda-county-declares-state-of-emergency-on-homelessness-what-does-that-mean\">County’s declaration\u003c/a> was that it directs County staff to develop an emergency response plan. Until knowing more, it might be premature to do anything locally,” she wrote. Liao agreed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052150\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052150\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/DowntownSanLeandroGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown San Leandro, on Sept. 16, 2022. \u003ccite>(Matt Gush/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In an interview, Liao said he didn’t think the way the ordinance was brought forward by Evolutionary Homes seemed appropriate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t farm out the drafting of ordinances, typically. We would want to have some touch on that as staff,” he said. “We don’t take things wholesale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staff ultimately recommended that the city not move forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to give you a heads up that some significant changes had to be made to the resolution that you provided to us because the content was not applicable to the City,” Robustelli wrote to Aguilar on Oct. 26. “Staff does not recommend moving forward with this resolution. I did not want you to be surprised about the content of my message for the 11/6 council meeting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On June 17, 2024, the city council voted to take no action on the declaration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli eventually left the job, the lawsuit alleges, citing life-threatening health issues.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In addition to the allegations surrounding Evolutionary Homes, Robustelli’s lawsuit claims Aguilar and San Leandro city council member Fred Simon repeatedly interfered with her duties as city manager and threatened her when she protested or refused to do their bidding. More often than not, they were assisted by Azevedo, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their actions, the lawsuit alleges, were in retaliation for her refusal to condone unethical behavior or support individual demands she viewed as unethical, improper or unlawful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robustelli alleges Simon submitted for reimbursement for mileage to and from his home and city hall and for non-city travel. Despite having medical benefits from his public employer and one other public agency, Simon also made a claim for medical reimbursement with the city for not electing medical coverage, the lawsuit alleges, enabling him to collect health benefits from three separate public entities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Simon and Aguilar made increasingly obscure and demanding requests to Robustelli to force her to resign, the lawsuit said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanleandro.org/DocumentCenter/View/11474/Former-CM-Complaint-Inv---1172024-Press-Release-?bidId=\">officially censured\u003c/a> council members Simon and Aguilar for interfering with Robustelli’s duties in violation of the city charter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Simon did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pauline Cutter, who was San Leandro’s mayor from 2015 to 2022, recalled Robustelli being frequently upset.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991244\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991244\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/OaklandMayorRaid01-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FBI agents are seen at 80 Maiden Lane in Oakland on June 20, 2024, carrying multiple boxes from a residence. After loading the boxes into their vehicles, the agents departed without commenting to reporters, only confirming that they had cleared the scene and no agents remained. \u003ccite>(Annelise Finney/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There was pressure against Fran to do kind of the bidding of the three council members. And a city manager can’t do that. They can’t take sides,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June 2024, FBI agents raided Thao’s home and several other properties associated with the Duongs, including the Oakland offices of the recycling company, California Waste Solutions, which is owned by the Duongs and has contracts with the cities of Oakland and San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his letter to the \u003cem>San Leandro Times\u003c/em> that month, Azevedo denied that he said California Waste Solutions should be awarded a city contract with San Leandro and defended his participation in a 2023 Vietnam trip that Thao and other East Bay officials also attended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wedge said she didn’t know Evolutionary Homes was falling apart until FBI agents showed up on her doorstep the same day as the raids in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They thought that I was going to be a witness,” Wedge said. “They thought I knew. They thought I was in those meetings,” she said, referring to meetings described in the indictment that allegedly took place between Thao, Jones and the Duongs about a pay-to-play scheme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was not in those meetings. I didn’t know any of that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around seven months later, agents raided Azevedo’s home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emails from that week, reviewed by KQED, show San Leandro city officials scrambling to nail down whether the city had ever done business with the Duongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Can you please research the following business to see if the City has conducted business with them?” a city spokesperson wrote to the acting finance manager, adding: “Evolutionary Homes, LLC.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A review of payments to the city, business licenses and financial records turned up nothing, according to the emails.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/post/bryan-azevedo-department-justice-targets-san-leandro-city-council-member-sheng-thao-corruption-investigation/16649211/\">interview\u003c/a> that was broadcast in June, Azevedo told ABC 7 that he had counted the days between when the FBI raided Thao’s home and when she was indicted. He said he was waiting to see if he would be arrested, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They shouldn’t have as much stuff on me,” Azevedo said. “Because I didn’t do nothing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked whether there was an arrangement between him and the Duongs, Azevedo said, “I don’t remember nothing, no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He later added, “I don’t want to comment on that because no, there was no arrangement on that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>New Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a>, a progressive powerhouse and longtime former congresswoman, was sworn in Tuesday afternoon and once again promised to unify and revitalize the city after months of political and financial turmoil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today marks a new era for Oakland,” Lee, 78, said during her inauguration speech in front of a crowd of residents gathered at City Hall to celebrate. “We are a city of doers, dreamers, entrepreneurs, artists and innovators. Together, we’re going to do the hard work to put Oakland back on the right track.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee, who served in Congress for more than three decades, faces \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040023/barbara-lee-oaklands-next-mayor-is-ready-to-govern-in-a-new-way\">no shortage of challenges\u003c/a> in her new role. In addition to addressing Oakland’s projected $265 million shortfall in its next two-year budget cycle, the newly elected mayor will also need to tackle the city’s public safety issues, including stubbornly high rates of crime and homelessness, and insufficient housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee’s plan for her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12036919/barbara-lee-pledges-to-unite-oakland-in-first-remarks-as-mayor-elect\">first 100 days in office\u003c/a>, which she introduced during her campaign, includes bringing together business leaders to develop new initiatives for Oakland’s economic growth, securing county funds to address homelessness, implementing new public safety strategies and prosecuting illegal dumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents “were clear about the need to transform Oakland into a safer and cleaner city,” Lee said. “Over the next 100 days, we will bring Oaklanders from all walks of life to help inform how our government can better serve the people and usher in a new era of prosperity and progress.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12040971\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12040971\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Barbara Lee is sworn in as mayor of Oakland as Bill Patterson holds a Bible that belonged to her grandfather at Oakland City Hall on May 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Handling Oakland’s finances will be no small feat, as city leaders attempt to piece together a budget that will bridge Oakland’s looming fiscal shortfall without jeopardizing essential city services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kevin Jenkins, who had served as interim mayor after Sheng Thao was ousted from office in a recall election, introduced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12038739/oakland-budget-keeps-fire-stations-closed-police-cuts-in-place-despite-new-sales-tax\">new budget proposal\u003c/a> last week that includes several public safety service cuts, such as the continued closure of two fire stations and a cap on police overtime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee said the city’s fiscal crisis will require both short-term and long-term solutions, and added that she is working with financial advisors to review areas of concern in the city’s spending. She said she’s also been meeting with county, state and federal officials, as well as working groups made up of Oakland residents and business partners to identify new funding streams.[aside postID=news_12040023 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250421-BARBARA-LEE-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg']“My job is to lead our city out of a budget crisis and into a period of financial stability,” Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mayor, who received strong support from labor unions throughout Oakland during her campaign, said she’s also been in talks with labor leaders. Everyone will need to make concessions so that the city can balance its budget, and labor groups will be a part of that, Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of public safety, Lee previously said she plans to increase the city’s police force to 700 sworn officers while also introducing new violence prevention and mental health programs. She also proposed several solutions for addressing homelessness, such as job training and financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Public safety is a big priority,” Lee told reporters after taking the oath of office. “The mayor’s job … is to keep the city safe and to help address crime rates and bring down crime rates so people are safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It marks a new chapter for a city that’s been troubled by months of instability. In November, Oakland voted overwhelmingly to recall Thao after an FBI raid of her home and criticisms over her response to the city’s challenges cast a dark shadow over Thao’s administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12040972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12040972\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Barbara Lee hugs Bill Patterson after being sworn in as Mayor of Oakland at Oakland City Hall on May 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lee, who will finish out the final year and a half of Thao’s term, announced her intent to run in January. Before representing Oakland in Congress, she also served in the California State Assembly for six years and the state Senate for two. She retired from Congress last year after an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee’s mayoral campaign garnered enthusiastic support from most of the City Council and Jenkins. She emphasized her track record of bringing federal funding to Oakland and promised to use her political connections and reputation to attract more investments into the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the special election became unexpectedly tight when former Councilmember Loren Taylor, a moderate politician who appealed to voters frustrated by Oakland’s progressive tilt, took an early lead in the ballot counting process. While Lee eventually secured the victory, Taylor garnered significant support from the city’s affluent hillside residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ahall\">\u003cem>Alex Hall\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>New Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/barbara-lee\">Barbara Lee\u003c/a>, a progressive powerhouse and longtime former congresswoman, was sworn in Tuesday afternoon and once again promised to unify and revitalize the city after months of political and financial turmoil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today marks a new era for Oakland,” Lee, 78, said during her inauguration speech in front of a crowd of residents gathered at City Hall to celebrate. “We are a city of doers, dreamers, entrepreneurs, artists and innovators. Together, we’re going to do the hard work to put Oakland back on the right track.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee, who served in Congress for more than three decades, faces \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040023/barbara-lee-oaklands-next-mayor-is-ready-to-govern-in-a-new-way\">no shortage of challenges\u003c/a> in her new role. In addition to addressing Oakland’s projected $265 million shortfall in its next two-year budget cycle, the newly elected mayor will also need to tackle the city’s public safety issues, including stubbornly high rates of crime and homelessness, and insufficient housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee’s plan for her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12036919/barbara-lee-pledges-to-unite-oakland-in-first-remarks-as-mayor-elect\">first 100 days in office\u003c/a>, which she introduced during her campaign, includes bringing together business leaders to develop new initiatives for Oakland’s economic growth, securing county funds to address homelessness, implementing new public safety strategies and prosecuting illegal dumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents “were clear about the need to transform Oakland into a safer and cleaner city,” Lee said. “Over the next 100 days, we will bring Oaklanders from all walks of life to help inform how our government can better serve the people and usher in a new era of prosperity and progress.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12040971\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12040971\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-04-KQED-1-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Barbara Lee is sworn in as mayor of Oakland as Bill Patterson holds a Bible that belonged to her grandfather at Oakland City Hall on May 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Handling Oakland’s finances will be no small feat, as city leaders attempt to piece together a budget that will bridge Oakland’s looming fiscal shortfall without jeopardizing essential city services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kevin Jenkins, who had served as interim mayor after Sheng Thao was ousted from office in a recall election, introduced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12038739/oakland-budget-keeps-fire-stations-closed-police-cuts-in-place-despite-new-sales-tax\">new budget proposal\u003c/a> last week that includes several public safety service cuts, such as the continued closure of two fire stations and a cap on police overtime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee said the city’s fiscal crisis will require both short-term and long-term solutions, and added that she is working with financial advisors to review areas of concern in the city’s spending. She said she’s also been meeting with county, state and federal officials, as well as working groups made up of Oakland residents and business partners to identify new funding streams.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“My job is to lead our city out of a budget crisis and into a period of financial stability,” Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mayor, who received strong support from labor unions throughout Oakland during her campaign, said she’s also been in talks with labor leaders. Everyone will need to make concessions so that the city can balance its budget, and labor groups will be a part of that, Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of public safety, Lee previously said she plans to increase the city’s police force to 700 sworn officers while also introducing new violence prevention and mental health programs. She also proposed several solutions for addressing homelessness, such as job training and financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Public safety is a big priority,” Lee told reporters after taking the oath of office. “The mayor’s job … is to keep the city safe and to help address crime rates and bring down crime rates so people are safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It marks a new chapter for a city that’s been troubled by months of instability. In November, Oakland voted overwhelmingly to recall Thao after an FBI raid of her home and criticisms over her response to the city’s challenges cast a dark shadow over Thao’s administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12040972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12040972\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250520-BARBARA-LEE-SWORN-IN-MD-05-KQED-1-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Barbara Lee hugs Bill Patterson after being sworn in as Mayor of Oakland at Oakland City Hall on May 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lee, who will finish out the final year and a half of Thao’s term, announced her intent to run in January. Before representing Oakland in Congress, she also served in the California State Assembly for six years and the state Senate for two. She retired from Congress last year after an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee’s mayoral campaign garnered enthusiastic support from most of the City Council and Jenkins. She emphasized her track record of bringing federal funding to Oakland and promised to use her political connections and reputation to attract more investments into the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the special election became unexpectedly tight when former Councilmember Loren Taylor, a moderate politician who appealed to voters frustrated by Oakland’s progressive tilt, took an early lead in the ballot counting process. While Lee eventually secured the victory, Taylor garnered significant support from the city’s affluent hillside residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ahall\">\u003cem>Alex Hall\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
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},
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"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
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},
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"order": 8
},
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},
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"order": 1
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"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
},
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"hidden-brain": {
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
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"source": "NPR"
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
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"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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