(USNewsBreak.com) – Constituents elected Sheng Thao, mayor of Oakland, California, in 2022. Since then, she has faced some controversy. Her critics raised enough signatures to hold a recall vote, which will take place in November at the ballots. Now, she’s facing even more scrutiny after the FBI raided her home last week.
On Thursday, June 20, the FBI descended on Thao’s Oakland, California, home. Agents removed a total of 80 boxes from the residence. However, there’s generally little information about the nature of the raid. The federal agency acknowledged it had carried out “court-authorized law enforcement activity” but gave no further details.
The same day, the FBI raided two other homes approximately three miles away. Those homes belonged to the city’s Duong family, which owns Cal Waste Solutions and holds political influence in the area. Government authorities had previously investigated the waste company regarding its campaign contributions.
It’s important to note that the FBI hasn’t tied Thao to any type of wrongdoing despite the raid. However, one of her former staffers spoke with CBS News in an attempt to shine some light on the situation.
Regina Webb, who served as Thao’s chief of staff, alleged the mayor’s boyfriend, Andre Jones, engaged in pay-to-play schemes. Webb said she resigned following Thao’s mayoral election win because of the activities.
Webb said Jones was “promising people jobs in [Thao’s] administration … on different commissions and boards.” She accused Thao’s boyfriend of being controlling and in charge, while Thao went along with his moves, something Webb doesn’t “believe she would do otherwise.”
The former chief of staff also reported the allegations to the Public Ethics Commission and the city council in early 2023. She alleged both bodies ignored her complaints.
Thao spoke publicly on the raid for the first time on Monday, June 24. During her remarks, she asserted she had committed no wrongdoings and said, “This investigation is not about me.”
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