Federal investigators are ordering the city of Oakland to turn over documents involving a prominent local family that has waste management contracts with the city, as well as Mayor Sheng Tao and his associates, according to documents reviewed by The Times.
The federal subpoena, issued five days after federal agents raided Thao’s home on June 20, confirmed that a federal grand jury is currently investigating Cal Waste Solutions Inc.; its owner is Duong. family members; and their interactions with Oakland city officials, particularly the mayor.
The eight-page subpoena dated June 25 requires the city to turn over all documents and communications regarding California Waste Solutions, all of its employees and representatives, as well as any documents involving appointments to key city positions.
The deadline is Thursday.
A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about the subpoena.
Federal investigators also requested documents related to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election, when Thao was elected the first Hmong mayor of a major U.S. city.
The subpoena further revealed the possible involvement of Thao associate Andre Jones in the investigation. Investigators are asking the city to turn over meeting calendar entries and records involving Thao and Jones from June 1 to the present.
Thao’s attorney declined to comment on the subpoena but said the investigation involving Thao does not involve criminal charges or charges.
Thao denies any wrongdoing.
“I can tell you with confidence that this investigation has nothing to do with me,” the mayor said at a news conference three days after FBI agents raided her home.
The specific focus of the federal investigation is unclear, but the June 25 subpoena provides a broader look at the scope of the federal investigation, the latest scandal to plague a Bay Area city that recently faced a mayoral recall effort, budget Deficits and concerns about crime have driven away major businesses.
Shortly after city officials received the subpoena, the Oakland city attorney directed staff in an email to preserve all records involving the Thao, Jones and Duong families, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
A spokesman for the Oakland City Attorney’s Office confirmed the existence of the memo to staff but declined to provide a copy of the memo or answer questions about it in an email, saying the memo was “a joint effort between the Oakland City Attorney and Confidential Attorney-Client Communications”. A staff member from another city in Auckland. “
A federal subpoena issued by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California seeks multiple documents involving the Duong family, including David, Andy, Kristina, Victor and Michael Duong.
The family has been at the center of investigations involving the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission and the Oakland Public Ethics Commission for at least five years. The family is accused of using “straw donors” to circumvent legal donation limits and fill the campaign coffers of elected public officials while the family’s companies seek contracts with cities.
The family’s company, Cal Waste Solutions, currently provides recycling services to Auckland.
After the warrant was executed, California Waste Solutions officials issued a statement saying they were surprised by the search and were cooperating with investigators.
“We believe we have not engaged in or committed any illegal activity and are awaiting the decision of law enforcement agencies,” the company said in a statement.
A company spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
But state and local investigations into the family’s dealings with city officials in the area paint a troubling picture.
The Fair Political Practices Commission has been investigating the family’s political donations since 2019, court records show. money.
Court records show that “CWS was the true source of at least 93 contributions to multiple local campaign committees” with the goal of “courting candidates and increasing opportunities for candidates.”
The agency tracked suspicious donations to other areas in Oakland, San Jose and Santa Clara counties where the family hoped to do business.
The investigation found that in 2018, Thao made multiple contributions to City Council campaigns, “seven of which were made by or on behalf of [Andy] Duang.
A former co-worker told investigators he saw Andy Duong taking cash from a drawer at California Waste Solutions’ offices to repay people for their donations, court records show.
FPPC officials confirmed their investigation is ongoing.
Federal officials are also requesting documents related to the city’s declaration of a local homeless emergency, as well as any information about the former Oakland Army Base that had been considered to potentially house homeless people.
