Sheng Thao bribery trial explained: Key facts and what to expect

Starting next week, former Mayor Sheng Thao will appear in Courtroom 1 of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in downtown Oakland to stand trial for bribery and conspiracy.

Oakland residents can expect wall-to-wall coverage of the multi-week case, much of it delving deep into the weeds of the alleged conspiracy.

Readers who haven’t been following the case closely may struggle to keep track of the characters, evidence, allegations, and stakes. So we’ve put together a cheat sheet to help get you grounded in the biggest corruption case in Oakland’s history.

Who are the defendants?

Sheng Thao

Elected mayor of Oakland in 2022, Thao’s tenure was rocky, beginning with a hacker attack on the city, a fired police chief, fiscal distress, and rising crime. Her term was cut short when she was recalled in 2024. Previously, she served as the city councilmember for District 4.

Andre Jones

Jones was Thao’s longtime romantic partner. They met in the early 2010s while both working in then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan’s office. Jones later worked in cannabis policy for the state.

David Duong

The CEO of California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s curbside recycling contractor, and a former refugee from Vietnam, Duong still carries on the waste business his father started there. Duong and his family members have other businesses in the Bay Area, too, including one at the center of the trial: Evolutionary Homes.

Andy Duong

David’s son, Andy, works for California Waste Solutions and was involved in the formation of Evolutionary Homes. He’s known for sharing photos and videos of his lavish lifestyle on Instagram and other social media.

What are the charges? And what happens if they’re convicted?

Early on the morning of June 20, 2024, the FBI raided several locations in Oakland:

Sheng Thao and Andre Jones’ home in the Oakland Hills

David Duong’s home in the Oakland Hills

Andy Duong’s home in the Oakland Hills

California Waste Solutions’ office on Embarcadero

In January 2025, federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment alleging that this group of people engaged in a complex conspiracy to win the mayor’s race and steer lucrative city contracts. According to the government, the Duongs financed negative mailers against Thao’s 2022 mayoral opponents and paid Jones $95,000, and promised lots more, for a “no-show job.” This support was allegedly provided in exchange for Thao promising:

The defendants face years in prison if convicted:

Thao and Jones are each charged with conspiracy, bribery, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of wire fraud. They face a maximum of 95 years in prison if convicted.

David and Andy Duong are each charged with conspiracy, bribery, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of wire fraud. They also face a maximum of 95 years in prison if convicted.

Andy Duong faces an additional charge of false statements because he allegedly lied to the FBI. If convicted, this could add up to five years to any sentence.

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. Thao also professed her innocence in a speech shortly after the 2024 FBI raids.

Who are the other key figures?

Mario Juarez

A longtime politico and businessperson in Oakland’s Fruitvale district, Juarez ran for political office in the past and has deep ties to powerful figures and companies in the East Bay. He cofounded Evolutionary Homes with the Duong family before they had a dramatic falling-out. He later became the FBI’s key informant and has already pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bribery. Juarez has also gotten into legal hot water over numerous business dealings in years past.

Bryan Azevedo

Azevedo is a former San Leandro city councilmember. In February, he pleaded guilty to trying to win a San Leandro contract for a housing company — seemingly the Duongs’ Evolutionary Housing — in exchange for a $2,000 bribe and a portion of the future sales. He resigned from the council the same week as his plea. He faces the possibility of years in prison and a hefty fine.

What about the judge and lawyers?

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers

Rogers is the federal judge assigned to the case. She was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2011 and recently adjudicated two high-profile technology cases, Musk v. Altman and the state case against Meta.

The prosecutors

Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine is leading the prosecution with the help of assistant U.S. attorneys Molly Priedman and Lloyd Farnham.

The defense teams
Although they’re being tried together, each defendant has their own attorney or attorneys — including figures from some powerful firms.

Thao is represented by Jeffrey Tsai and Darryl Tarver of the DLA Piper law firm; David Duong is represented by attorneys from the firms Swanson & McNamara and Jones Day, including Edward Swanson and August Gugelmann; Andy Duong’s attorneys include Winston Chan and Christine Bonomo of the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher firm, William Sprague and Bryanna Walker of Covington & Burling, and Erik Babcock. Jones is represented by Mark Goldrosen and Shawn Halbert.

Who’s expected to testify?

The government has released a whopping list of 54 people whom prosecutors might call as witnesses. The list includes local elected officials, business figures, bank employees, political consultants, FBI and IRS agents, Port of Oakland staff, city staff, and more.

Two current elected officials are included: Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas and Council President Kevin Jenkins. The current city administrator, Betsy Lake, and former administrators Jestin Johnson and Harold Duffey are also in the lineup. Several former staffers for Thao may be called to testify, too.

Bryan Azevedo and Mario Juarez, the two men who’ve pleaded guilty to charges related to this case, are expected to be key witnesses. Duong associates and former business partners are also on the list.

Defense attorneys have not revealed who their witnesses are.

What evidence will the prosecution and defense introduce?

The government is arguing that a trove of communication and financial records reveals that Thao, Jones, and David and Andy Duong coordinated over a number of months to get Thao elected mayor, enrich her and Jones, and privilege the Duongs’ businesses. Prosecutors sought to introduce nearly 2,000 separate pieces of evidence — from text messages to credit card statements.

How did the government get these records? A number of ways, including the 2024 FBI raids of the defendants’ homes and offices, subpoenas of city staff, and items from the devices of informant Juarez.

Many communication records and videos come from Andy Duong’s phone. Prosecutors have alleged that he recorded powerful figures for potential later blackmail. They also seek to introduce photos of items they claim the Duongs stole from Juarez.

The prosecution is relying heavily on the testimony of Juarez as their star witness. The defense has made clear that they intend to question Juarez’s credibility by focusing on his legal disputes, unpaid taxes, and more.

When and where is the trial?

The trial will begin with jury selection on Tuesday, Oct. 13. It’s expected to last about six weeks.

The trial will be held here in Oakland, at the federal courthouse at 1301 Clay St. It’s open to the public, but on days when major events are scheduled, you’ll want to get there early to ensure you get a seat. Check out the judge’s website for the schedule (click the button “Upcoming Proceedings and Scheduling Notes”).

The federal court doesn’t allow cameras in the courtroom, so there won’t be pictures or video of the trial itself. But The Oaklandside will cover the ins and outs of the trial.

read more about the corruption allegations