A federal corruption trial for former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao opened Wednesday in downtown Oakland, where prosecutors alleged she put her own financial interests ahead of the residents she was elected to serve. Thao, her partner Andre Jones, and businessmen David and Andy Duong have all pleaded not guilty.
What are prosecutors alleging in the corruption trial?
Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine told a jury of 12 that the scheme was first laid out in a January 2025 indictment. According to the government, the Duongs helped Thao win the 2022 mayoral race and paid Jones $95,000, with another $205,000 promised, in exchange for her help winning city business.
Prosecutors say the benefits sought included contracts for the Duongs' recycling firm, California Waste Solutions, and their tiny-home company, Evolutionary Homes. Fine showed jurors photos of the defendants, checks allegedly given to Jones for a no-show job, and text messages, including one in which businessman Mario Juarez wrote that the group might go to jail but would be "$100 million richer."
What did the first witness say?
Leigh Hanson, who served as chief of staff under several Oakland mayors, was the prosecution's first witness. She testified about a 2023 city trade delegation trip to Vietnam that she said she warned Thao against taking, according to the Chronicle.
Hanson said Andy Duong took some male delegation members to be entertained by young women, possibly underage, and court filings suggest he may have recorded video for potential leverage. The trip has become a central point in the government's case.
What is the defense saying?
Thao's lawyer, Jeff Tsai, has said the government's case is full of holes and that his client is innocent of all charges. He argued the indictment contains nothing that truly shows the mayor was involved in the scheme prosecutors describe.
What happens next?
The trial is expected to run about six weeks before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, ending just before Thanksgiving. If convicted, each defendant could face several years in prison.
FAQ
Who is on trial?
Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her partner Andre Jones, and Oakland businessmen David Duong and his son Andy Duong.
What are they charged with?
Federal bribery and fraud charges tied to an alleged pay-for-influence scheme involving city contracts.
