FBI Agents Raid the Home of Oakland Democrat Mayor Sheng Thao.
FBI Agents Raid the Home of Oakland Democrat Mayor Sheng Thao.
FBI agents conducted search warrants early Thursday at the home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the home of an employee of a city waste contractor.
The FBI confirmed the two search warrants but declined to say who the targets of the search warrants were and whether they were connected.
Agents were seen carrying boxes out of 80 Maiden Lane, a four-bedroom home that property records link to the first-term mayor, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Thao’s spokesperson Francis Zamora referred inquiries to the FBI.
“The FBI conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity on Maiden Lane in Oakland this morning. We are unable to provide additional information at this time,” a bureau statement said.
FBI agents also carried out searches about three miles to the south at two homes owned by members of the Duong family who owns the recycling company Cal Waste Solutions. The firm has been investigated over campaign contributions to Thao and other elected city officials, the local news outlet Oaklandside reported in 2020.
The homes raided connected to the investigation:
Home of Mayor Sheng Thao on Maiden Lane in the Oakland Hills
California Waste Solutions at the Embarcadero
Home of California Waste Solutions' Andy Duong on View Crest Court
Home of California Waste Solutions' David and Linda Duong on Skyline Blvd
Property records show that the latter home is connected to Andy Duong, one of the Duong family members who own and manage Cal Waste Solutions, which has been investigated over campaign contributions to Thao and other elected city officials, the Oaklandside reported in 2020.
Thao has not been publicly accused of any crimes, but she has faced harsh criticism in recent months over sky-rocketing crime in Oakland since she took office in 2023. Thao’s troubles amped up in May after an effort to recall her from office gained enough signatures to appear on a November ballot.
The group Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao, led by a former Alameda County Superior Court judge whom Thao removed from the city’s Police Commission in June, has faulted the mayor for the rising crime. They’ve criticized her for failing to declare a state of emergency on crime and for taking a year to replace a police chief she fired. Thao also drew intense scrutiny for missing the application deadline last year when Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office offered more than $267 million to cities and counties to fight retail thefts.
“Thao’s actions have pushed Oakland to the brink, but the community is saying, ‘NO MORE. We want Thao gone" - Organizer Brenda Harbin-Forte stated. They only needed 24,644 signatures to trigger the recall but the organizers went above and beyond, gathering and submitting more than 40,000.
Thao didn't even get first place in the race but due to Rank Choice Voting, she became the Mayor