Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao blames “radical right wing forces” for what’s happening to her in court as she faces up to 95 years in prison. In a shocking turn of events, former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, along with three others, has been indicted by a federal jury following a thorough corruption investigation. The FBI and US Attorney’s Office recently announced the charges, which include bribery, mail fraud, and wire fraud, sending ripples through the East Bay political landscape.
Thao’s longtime partner, Andre Jones, as well as two prominent East Bay businessmen, David Duong and his son Andy Duong, are the other individuals named in the indictment. The four were arraigned on Friday morning, with Thao pleading not guilty to the charges leveled against her. If convicted, the former mayor faces a staggering maximum sentence of 95 years in prison. For now, she has been released with travel restrictions imposed.
This indictment comes on the heels of an FBI raid that took place seven months ago, targeting Thao’s home and several other locations, including properties owned by the Duong family. The Duongs, who hold Oakland’s curbside recycling contract through their company, California Waste Solutions, have been under scrutiny in a city probe examining campaign contributions, as reported by ABC7News.