FBI raids Oakland mayor Sheng Thao’s home

Early Thursday morning, more than a dozen FBI agents raided Mayor Sheng Thao’s house on Maiden Lane in the Oakland Hills as part of a political corruption investigation. The FBI confirmed the raid was a “court-authorized law enforcement activity,” but did not provide specifics.

Alongside Thao’s home, agents also searched locations related to California Waste Solutions (CWS) and its executives, David and Linda Duong and Andy Duong. The Duongs are under investigation for using “straw donors” to funnel money to council members, including Thao, who allegedly received some of these funds and traveled to Vietnam on a trip funded by the Duongs.
The news sent shockwaves through Oakland City Hall, leading to the temporary closure of the mayor’s office. The raid coincides with the approval of a recall vote against Thao, the city’s first Hmong American mayor. Protesters gathered outside her home on Thursday afternoon, emphasizing the need for transparency and demanding her resignation. Meanwhile, CWS stated it is cooperating with the investigation, asserting it “was not involved in any unlawful or improper activities.”

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