'Former mayor:' Judge corrects Sheng Thao's defense attorney

OAKLAND, Calif. - A procedural court hearing in the bribery and fraud case against Sheng Thao, her boyfriend, and the father-and-son duo who own Cal Waste Solutions turned a bit tense on Thursday when the federal judge corrected Thao's defense attorney.

Jeff Tsai introduced Thao to U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers as the mayor of Oakland.

Gonzalez Rogers quickly corrected him.

"Former mayor," the judge said. "You said mayor. She's not."

The interaction drew raised eyebrows in the courtroom. 

Thao, Andre Jones, as well as Andy and David Duong –  and their small army of nearly a dozen lawyers – stood before the judge during a status conference hearing, where prosecutors disclosed what evidence they had turned over, and what they had not, in a public corruption case involving allegations of bribery and fraud, where prosecutors say the four conspired to funnel city business to companies owned by the men in exchange for money and benefits to Thao and her partner.

All four have pleaded not guilty and declined to speak after court on Thursday. 

When she was mayor, Thao repeatedly stated her innocence. 

Asst. U.S. Attorney Molly Priederman told the judge that so far, prosecutors have turned over 140 gigabytes, or 250,000 files, search warrants, financial affidavits and electronic devices to the defense. She said that it will likely take "several months" more to turn over additional laptops, computers, hard drives and cell phones. 

Ed Swanson, who is representing David Duong, the CEO of Cal Waste Solutions, told the judge that it was very "concerning" to him that it would take that long to turn over the remaining evidence, seeing as how FBI raided the homes of all four defendants in June 2024. 

Priedeman responded that she would try to see what she could do to speed things up.

Another new element from the hearing that was revealed was that no wire taps were used to collect evidence, Priedeman told the court. 

In January, federal prosecutors charged Thao, who was recalled last year, agreed that the city would purchase housing units from one of the Duongs’ companies and renew the city’s contract with a recycling company David Duong owned. 

In exchange, David Duong and his son, Andy, promised to fund a $75,000 mailer attacking Thao’s political opponents and make $300,000 in payments for a no-show job for Jones.

David Duong was the president and CEO of a recycling company that provided residential recycling collection services to Oakland homes and also co-owned with Andy Duong a housing company formed in 2022 to manufacture prefabricated modular homes for homeless people.

The case is being prosecuted by Priedman, and assistant U.S. attorneys, Abraham Fine and Lloyd Farnham.

Jones is being represented by Mark Goldrosen after being represented briefly by civil rights attorney Walter Riley.

Aside from Swanson, David Duong is also being represented by August Gugelmann, Neal Stephens and Jeff Schenk.

Andy Duong is being represented by William Sprague, Erik Babcock, Winston Chan and Bryanna Walker. 

The hearing ended in roughly 30 minutes and everyone was ordered back to court on April 24. 

Andy Duong arrives at federal court with his attorneys in a federal corruption case. Feb. 6, 2025 

Andre Jones, the former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, arrives at federal court with her attorney, Jeff Tsai. Feb. 6, 2025 

Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao arrives at federal court with her attorney, Jeff Tsai. Feb. 6, 2025