Jury selection begins Tuesday in the corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao.
Thao is expected to be in court as jury selection gets underway. If convicted on all charges, she could be sentenced to 95 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors have indicted Thao on charges of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud, along with her longtime boyfriend Andre Jones and David and Andy Duong.
The Duongs own California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s recycling contractor.
Federal prosecutors allege Thao helped the company secure future contracts with the city of Oakland in exchange for helping her get elected mayor and payments to her longtime boyfriend.
Thao and her co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Recently released phone recordings include one from 2019 indicating Thao discussed concerns that the recycling company overcharged the city.
Court records also include a transcript from a 2024 phone call between Andy Duong and an unnamed Oakland city councilmember.
Early in the conversation, Duong invites the councilmember to “party up in the yacht” and, in the future, “a private [yacht] for us only,” according to the transcript.
When the councilmember asks about the recall effort against then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Duong says, “We put a stop to it.”
Thao was eventually recalled later that year.
Testimony is expected to begin as soon as next Monday.