FBI raids Oakland mayor Sheng Thao's home

FBI raids Oakland mayor's home in campaign finance probe involving garbage vendor, Vietnamese American Business Association. Mayor cancels event.

The FBI conducted a raid on the home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, along with other locations, including the offices of California Waste Solutions and the homes of CEO David Duong and his son Andy Duong. The investigation is reportedly related to alleged campaign finance violations. The Duong family, who also runs the Vietnamese American Business Association, is fully cooperating with the investigation. Several other unidentified individuals are also under investigation.

The raids began early in the morning, with agents seen carrying boxes from the locations before departing. Mayor Thao canceled a scheduled event about housing prices, but it is unclear if the cancellation was related to the FBI investigation. The U.S. Attorney's Office did not disclose the reason for the raid but stated that there was no public safety threat. IRS investigators and U.S. Postal Service inspectors were also involved in the raid.

The FBI released a statement saying they were conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity at the locations. California Waste Solutions expressed confidence that the investigation would conclude that they were not involved in any unlawful or improper activity. Andy Duong, who organized a trip to Vietnam for Thao in 2023, is a financial analyst and part owner of the company. David Duong is the chairman of the Vietnamese American Business Association.

Overall, the investigation appears to be focused on campaign finance violations, with multiple locations and individuals being searched as part of a larger operation. The raids have raised questions about potential wrongdoing and have left the community in Oakland concerned about the implications of the investigation.