Jury Sworn In as Ex-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao Bribery Trial Opens

A federal jury was sworn in Tuesday in Oakland to hear the corruption trial of former Mayor Sheng Thao and three co-defendants. Prosecutors allege Thao accepted up to $95,000 in cash bribes from the Duong family in exchange for favorable treatment of their recycling business and a housing startup. Thao's romantic partner Andre Jones and father-son businessmen David and Andy Duong are also charged with conspiracy and bribery. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine told jurors the case represents "politics as profit," describing a quid pro quo scheme ahead of the 2022 mayoral election. The Duongs allegedly funded a negative ad campaign against Thao's opponents and paid Jones $300,000 for a no-show job. In return, Thao would use her mayoral power to benefit their business interests, including California Waste Solutions.

“"This is not politics as usual, this is politics as profit."”

Defense attorneys attacked the credibility of Mario Juarez, the prosecution's key witness and former Duong business partner. Thao's lawyer Jeffrey Tsai called Juarez's narrative "pure fiction" during opening statements. Each defendant's attorney presented a different version of events but united in challenging the witness's reliability.

Jury selection concluded after several hours of questioning by Chief U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Nine jurors and three alternates were seated for a trial expected to last six weeks. Thao faces up to 95 years in prison if convicted on all six counts. The FBI raided the defendants' homes in 2024, leading to the January 2025 indictment.