Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao -- who was recalled in November -- has been indicted by a federal grand jury after a public corruption investigation. The indictment was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and unveiled Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Thao is accused of bribery and fraud. You can read the indictment here.
Thao’s boyfriend, Andre Jones, along with businessmen David Duong and his son Andy Duong, have also been indicted. David Duong owns California Waste Solutions, Oakland's recycling contractor. Investigators say he and his son funneled $95,000 to Jones and Thao as part of a pay-to-play scheme. The money was “disguised as wages for a no-show job.”
The FBI also raided the home of San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo on Wednesday. Azevedo accompanied Thao on a trip to Vietnam in 2023 which David Duong had sponsored.
This article has been updated.