Who’s who in the Oakland mayor FBI raid
OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — When FBI agents showed up at Mayor Sheng Thao’s Oakland home with a search warrant on Thursday, her boyfriend opened the door and let them inside, a witness told KRON4.
The boyfriend, Andre Jones, lives with Thao and their two children at 80 Maiden Lane near Joaquin Miller Park. FBI agents knocked on the door Thursday morning shouting, “FBI open up,” a witness said.
An hours-long raid ended when about a dozen FBI agents were seen carrying boxes and envelops out of the house. Agents declined to speak to reporters who asked questions as they left in black SUVs.
An FBI spokesperson told KRON4, “The FBI is conducting court authorized law enforcement activity on Maiden Lane. We are unable to provide additional information at this time.” Jones eventually left the house and declined to talk to reporters.
The raid was related to possible campaign finance violations, a law enforcement source told KRON4.
Federal agents also raided a house at 12568 Skyline Blvd. in Oakland. The home is connected to David Duong, whose family owns the company Cal Waste Solutions. The company serves as Oakland’s trash and recycling collector. Duong is the CEO of Cal Waste Solutions, as well as chairman of the Vietnamese American Business Association.
The FBI simultaneously searched two additional Oakland properties on Thursday, located at 1211 Embarcadero Way and 4320 View Crest Court.
The headquarters for Vietnamese American Business Association is located in suite 202 of 1211 Embarcadero Way, and Cal Waste Solutions has an office in suite 300.
Another member of the Duong family, Andy Duong, owns a house at 4320 View Crest Court.
Last summer, Mayor Thao made her first official overseas trip when she led a trade delegation to Vietnam and promoted Oakland as a trading partner with Vietnam. The delegation was sponsored and planned by the Vietnamese American Business Association. VABA was formed by Victor Duong, vice president of California Waste Solutions.
The company’s website states, “Under the leadership of siblings David (President & CEO), Kristina (CFO), and Victor (Vice President), the Duongs have established the largest recycling company in Northern California, employing over 300 union and non-union workers directly from the communities they serve. California Waste Solutions serves the Oakland and San Jose communities, and also has created an integrated waste management facility in their native Vietnam.”
Thao was a no-show at a pre-scheduled event on Thursday. The mayor’s office declined to comment about the FBI raid to KRON4.
A California Waste Solutions staff member, Teresa Hoang, wrote in a prepared statement, “CWS is fully aware that federal agents have executed search warrants at a number of locations in Oakland today related to CWS. The company is fully cooperating with the government’s investigation and we’re confident that the officials, the government will conclude that we are not involved in anything unlawful or improper activity. Everything will move on and everything will be ok.”
Efforts to speak to representatives from VABA were unsuccessful.
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