Former Oakland mayor and co-defendants seek to block key evidence in bribery case

Former Oakland mayor Sheng Thao and three co-accused asked a federal judge to suppress dozens of items of evidence they say are overly prejudicial ahead of their upcoming trial.

Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland who was recalled in late 2024, and three co-defendants—partner Andre Jones and real-estate family members David and Andy Duong—appeared in federal court to request that Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers bar over a thousand pieces of evidence from their bribery trial. The defendants contend that phone logs, text messages, and video recordings would prejudice a jury, while prosecutors argue the materials reveal a scheme in which the Duongs paid cash bribes, including a $5,000 donation to the Niagara Movement Foundation, to secure municipal contracts for Evolutionary Homes and California Waste Solutions.

An FBI informant, Mario Juarez, is set to testify that the donation was intended to boost Thao’s political standing. The court hinted at a narrow exclusion for Jones but declined to entertain the broader suppression request. Additional contested evidence includes a video of former city official Larry Gallegos at a bar and a conversation between Andy Duong and San Leandro councilmember Bryan Azevedo about a Vietnam trip. All parties anticipate a six-week trial, with no start date announced, and Thao faces a potential sentence of up to 95 years if convicted on all counts.