her her partner, andre jones. i'm wondering here the indictment made specific mention of those mailers that were sent out. so i wonder if there is something dealing with election interference that could be part of this as well. is that something that would come from this indictment or from someplace else? what are your thoughts on that? >> my thoughts are that the use of opposition campaign material, which goes on in nearly every campaign, is one thing, but it needs to be declared so that the public understands what money is being put into a campaign. opposition mailers are not the issue here. the hiding of the money to pay for these mailers is the issue, and there will be more evidence that will come forward. and of course, this alleged $95,000 payment to sheng tao's partner for a job maybe that didn't exist is also of great concern. but again, to be clear, in every campaign there's opposition mailers and some of them are not very much fun to read. but as long as the people who are paying for them declare that it

the payments in question went to her live in partner andre jones.they didn't go directly to her. so perhaps she felt that it was him that was being the beneficiary of this and not her, and also that she didn't actually do award the contracts or make the extension. so she could have compartmentalized it in her mind. but the fbi isn't interested in that. they are interested in this indictment, and she is the so far the highest ranking person to be indicted. so all roads are going to be pointing towards her. all right. >> well, you heard the man she beat in the mayoral race, lauren taylor, who is running again now in this special election, saying, hey, you know, he would have won had it not been for those mailers that were part of this campaign. >> i don't know, i don't know if he would have won. but the mailers in the campaign, the negative mailers that come in at the close of a campaign and turn last minute voters largely, especially if the race wasn't getting a lot of attention. yes, it could have had had a factor in it. but the other thing that's r

they accused her of a bribery scheme that includes her longtime partner, andre jones, and the prominent duong family. this was a multiyear investigation by the fbi. last june, the agents raided the oakland home of then mayor tao and andre jones, as well as the properties connected to the dea wong's and a recycling company. tao's attorney addressed the allegations outside the courthouse just minutes ago. >>>>the united states department of justice's justice manual requires the government to look carefully at its prosecutions to ensure that the actions that they take are not actions that are taking to take into effect the outcomes of elections and the timing of the investigative steps by the government in this case, including the unsealing of the indictment today, has called all of that into question. the mayor looks forward to defending herself against these charges, showing that there is, in fact, no evidence to support. will look. >>>>well. until this morning, the investigation was shrouded in secrecy of wilson. walker is live at the federal building in san francisco. with what we lear

thao and her romantic partner, andre jones, are accused in a bribery scheme involving the duong family who owned cal waste solutions, the recycling company for the city of oakland. two members of the family, patriarch david, the company's president and ceo, and andy, his son, were also charged today. all four defendants have pleaded not guilty. this all comes more than half a year after the fbi raided the home thao and jones share along with two homes belonging to the duong family and their recycling company's office. since that day we have been digging into the allegations against everyone involved, but details of the fbi's investigation have been shrouded in secrecy until now. our wilson walker was there when the fbi and other agencies announced these charges in san francisco. so, wilson, what are we learning tonight? >> reporter: i was thinking about that today, juliette, that when we first got the indictment handed to us, i was glancing through it and was struck by how much of it follows along the lines of what we've been reporting the last seven months. we saw the fbi agents go in

the mercury news is citing sources saying andre jones andre jones, her boyfriend, has also been indicted. neither report has been confirmed by the fbi. however, the feds are expected to make a comment tomorrow morning. these indictmenents coe after months of investigation and speculation. last june, the fbi raided the then mayor's house on the same day that they raided the homes and businesses of multiple members of the dewan family, who owns cal waste solutions. that's an oakland recycling contractor. tao and her partner have both repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but it has city leaders still concerned. this is really concerning, and the impacts of what this means for the integrity of city services and city business is definitely concerning to me as a public official. let's bring in nbc's velena jones, who's been covering this story for months now. velena what exactly do we know right now? we know there's a lot of speculation and reports, but what do we know? right. so raj, this comes, as you said, after months of investigation and speculation, it's important to note that the fbi nor t

the documents reveal andre jones received checks from juarez. renea webb who led thao's transition team accused jones of running pay-to-play schemes during thao's campaign and after she won. webb, who is running to replace thao, testified before the grand jury. >> what i said two years ago, you know, the reason i resigned, because i was not going to be corrupted and i was not going to be a part of something that would continue to take oakland down and so i really feel like this is a breath of fresh air, you know, for us as a city. >> the oakland public ethics commission has had a long running investigation into the duongs. they've been accused of using straw donors to run political campaigns, including thao's. >> thank you. we'll have live coverage of tomorrow's news conference with the fbi and justice department at 9:00 a.m. you can stay up to date with that and any other new developments in the case right here on air as well as on kpix.com and the cbs news app. >>> meantime, a new candidate has thrown their hat into the ring to replace thao as

prosecutors say checks started getting mailed to andre jones. some as large as $35,000. >> providing them as payments disguised as wages for a no show job for jones with the promise of additional payments all intended to benefit both thao and jones. >> reporter: today's indictment and the press conference held by the government earlier this morning was successful in grabbing headlines but what it did not do was serve the ends of justice. >> reporter: thao, jones and the duongs appeared in oakland where all four entered not guilty pleas. the former mayor appeared with her attorney who questioned the timing of this action and the indictment itself. >> the indictment itself is chock full of allegations. the case is built on allegations from an unknown coconspirator that we believe will show my client has committed no crimes. >> mentioning the unnamed coconspirator may be a question of where the defense is planning to go. on the issue of identities, we heard from the assistant u.s. attorney here in a very high profile case when we would normally be

the documents also reveal andre jones received checks from juarez. renia webb, a former confidante of thao and led her transition team, accused jones of pay to play schemes. webb who is running to replace thao testified before the grand jury. >> what i said two years ago, you know, the reason i resigned, because i was not going to be corrupted and i was not going to be a part of something that would continue to take oakland down and so i really felt like this was just a breath of fresh air, you know, for us as a city. >> as we mentioned, the fbi and the justice department are supposed to make this important announcement at 9:00 tomorrow morning. you can follow that announcement and any other new developments in this case on air as well as kpix.com and the cbs news app. >>> people in vallejo's crest neighborhood are calling for some serious and urgent solutions days after a 4-year-old girl was shot when she was caught in the middle of a shootout. she is stable tonight according to police. the city's new mayor, andrea sorce, says vallejo leaders have to

requesting documents related to sheng thao's mayoral campaign as well as communications related to andre jones. thao has denied jones had any role in her administration. >> the standard to indict somebody is relatively low. it doesn't require you prove they are probably guilty or guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. it only requires that you prove there's probable cause to believe a crime has been committed, but as we discussed earlier, federal prosecutors usually want to have sufficient evidence to have confidence that they can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. >> reporter: the subpoena also requested documents related to evolutionary homes, a company involving the duongs and mario juarez. last month the alameda county district attorney filed a motion alleging juarez and california waste solutions worked to help thao win the mayor's race in 2022 in exchange for access to taxpayer-funded contracts. the documents also reveal andre jones received checks from juarez. the oakland public ethics commission has had a long running investigation into the duongs. they've been accused of using straw donor

jones declined to take questions today. andre, do you have any comments? tao's attorney repeated his client's frequent claims of innocence, saying the case lacks evidence. the case is built on allegations from an unknown coconspirator that we believe when the evidence is revealed, will show that my client has committed no crimes. father and son david and andy duong face conspiracy, bribery and fraud charges. both of their attorneys also say they are innocent of all charges and will fight hard in court. meanwhile, those who spearheaded the recall election against house say her indictment points to a larger issue. i think that it is a wake up call that we've had these issues pervasive in city hall for some time, and it's time to clean house. in oakland, velena jones, nbc, bay area news. so what exactly are tao jones and the duong's accused of? investigative reporter candice nguyen joins us now to break down the alleged bribery scheme laid out by prosecutors today. and, candice, we know they're prominent businessmen, but who are these dongs? yeah, they are a

fbi agents raided the oakland home of then mayor thao and andre jones, her boyfriend. they could be seen carrying out boxes of evidence to their cars. this came two days after alameda county registrar of voters announced there were enough signatures on a petition to recall thao from office and to move forward with that process. the fbi also raided properties connected to the duong family and their recycling company, california waste solutions. the duongs hold a lucrative recycling contract with the city of oakland and have a pretty interesting backstory. the family escaped from vietnam, eventually opened the first recycling warehouse in west oakland. california waste solutions is now worth hundreds of millions of dollars and employs hundreds of people. over the years andy duong has become a regular face in local and state and national politics. he helped organize a trip to vietnam in 2023 that included local delegates, including then mayor sheng thao. he is now charged with making false statements to government agents. his lawyers released a statement saying in part, "

this is all connected to the june raid of thao's home which she shares with her partner, andre jones. jones is also named in that indictment and our camera was there as he arrived at court this morning. also facing charges, andy and david duong, the father/son duo prominent in the oakland business community. all four defendants entered not guilty pleas in court today. our wilson walker joins us live outside the federal courthouse in san francisco where officials laid out the allegations for the very first time. wilson. >> reporter: a busy day today. all of those charged over in oakland and today here in san francisco we finally, seven months after those raids, we heard what prosecutors were looking for. >> we are not just up here as traditional politicians. >> the indictment alleges the conspiracy began around october 2022 before the november 2022 oakland mayoral election. weeks before that election thao made commitments to take official actions as mayor that would benefit the duongs. >> reporter: from there first assistant u.s. attorney patrick robbins gave a brief tour of the govern

and it focuses on the former mayor, mayor sheng thao, as well as her partner, andre jones, and their connection to the duong family, the u.s. attorney's office saying today that they knowingly the duong family accepted, gave bribes to both the mayor and her partner jones, in relation to a connection to her time as mayor. there were several promises that they say were made. the u.s. attorney's office says this all started back in october of 2022. they say this has been a lengthy investigation and they say they are still investigating. take a listen. the indictment charges a scheme that the defendants entered into knowing that bribes would be offered and accepted by tao and jones in exchange for allowing the duong's to exercise illegal influence over the levers of city government. this started the month before the election, so in october of 2022. this is also when the u.s. postal service comes in as well. they had a part to do in the investigation because there was also fraud with the u.s. postal service alleged fraud there with campaign propaganda that was put out right before the elec

the federal charges accusing talent or partner andre jones and accepting bribery money from recycling company owners, david and indeed toowong came 7 months after federal agents raided the home of talent. jones. >> side questions. the timing of the indictment against his client fresh off a recall. the mayor looks forward to defending herself against these charges showing that there is, in fact, no evidence to support these charges. and we will look forward to doing that in the courtroom. if found guilty. all 4 listed in the indictment could each face up to 30 years in prison. jones requested a court-appointed lawyer, any comments or on the charges against him, ignoring reporters on his way out of the courthouse. indeed, attorney sent a statement saying, quote, the allegations are baseless and being fanned by nothing more than gossip and supposition stitched together by the fabrications and delusions of those who lack all fundamental credibility. the lawyer for his father, david, was that a separate statement saying, quote, mr. de denies wrongdoing and will vigorously defend these alle

it's about her about andre jones and about that drawings, including andy, too long.ted to be before a judge in about one hour from now. bombshell revelation this morning to say the least back to you all right. lots to follow from th (woman) i've got this dream... and you're all in it! (banker 1) let's hear it! (vo) with wells fargo premier a team can help you plan for your dream. (woman) i have this vacation home... (banker 2) so, like a getaway? (woman) yeah, but... it's also an eco-friendly artist retreat. (banker 3) so, you're expanding your business... (woman) ...and our family! can you help me plan for that? (banker 1) yeah! let's get started. (vo) ready to meet the dream team? you can with wells fargo. >> welcome back. 9 5 is the time. starting cloudy and chilly. >> we will be warming up to the 50's and 60's today and take a look at the 7 day forecast. is that quick weather hit here we have. we're holding on to some dry weather and we'll still have some cold mornings afternoon sun. but stay tuned for not this weekend, but next weekend, a chance of rain, >> bay

stunning news with reports of tao's apparent indictment and the defense attorney for her partner, andre jones, confirms that jones has been indicted. let's take a look back at the events that led up to all of this. in june, the fbi raided shang tao's rental home near the mormon temple in oakland's lincoln highlands neighborhood. agents removed boxes of materials, including laptops. that same day, agents also raided several properties tied to the politically connected huang family, who own california waste solutions, the company that manages oakland's recycling program. in november, tao was recalled as mayor. critics said she failed to crack down on crime and fired former police chief leronne armstrong and was responsible for sports teams leaving a cash strapped oakland. the warrants and paperwork remain sealed for now, but we expect any evidence to be unsealed once the feds officially discuss the case. tao has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. i went to her home after the news broke to see if she would answer the door. i did not get a response. we spoke to our legal expert, michael cardoza, a

the indictment alleges former mayor sheng tao and her partner, andre jones, tried to cover up cash payments for a no show salary to jones from the dongs. it also alleges that they covered up funding for campaign mailers from david and andy duong, whose family operates recycling and housing businesses that contract with the city. in return, tao allegedly pushed for renewal of contracts and exerted influence as mayor. once elected to help the duong's businesses. tao's attorney spoke with the media after her appearance. >> the case is built on allegations from an unknown coconspirator that we believe when the evidence is revealed, will show that my client has committed no crimes. the indictments timing as well is curious, and we think that the timing of the indictment has amplified, of course, the politicization of this issue. but it has not, again served the ends of justice and ensuring that everyone is treated fairly. >> and i spoke with her attorney after that news conference, and he tells me that they are going to be asking for evidence from the doj as to how they think she's connected. he

she, her boyfriend, andre jones, and david and andy dwang were named in the indictment.are a father- son pair who run cal waste solutions, a recycling company. the indictment spans a period before and after she took office two years ago. oakland voters recalled her two months ago. our wilson walker looked through the indictment and the allegations against tao. he picks up the story from here. >> we are not just up here. i'm not your traditional politician. >> reporter: the indictment alleges that the illegal conspiracy began around october 22 before the november 2022 oakland mayoral election. weeks before that election, thao made commitments to take official actions as mayor that would benefit the duongs. >> reporter: from there, first assistant u.s. attorney patrick robins gave a briefbrief of the government's case against the former mayor of oakland that alleges that sheng thao and her partner, andre jones, offered up city hall influence to two members of the politically influential duong family. >> examples of promises allegedly made by tho include her agreement to pu

thao, her boyfriend, andre jones, and david and andy duong were named in the indictment. the duongs are a father and on pair who run cal waste solutions. the indictment spans a time period before and after thao took office two years ago. oakland voters recalled her two months ago. our wilson walker looked through the indictment and the allegations against thao. he picks up the story from here. >> we are not just up here. i'm not your traditional politician. >> the indictment alleges that the illegal conspiracy began around october 22 before the november 2022 oakland mayoral election. weeks before that election, thao made commitments to take official actions as mayor that would benefit the duongs. >> reporter: from there, first assistant u.s. attorney patrick robins gave a brief tour of the government's case against the former mayor of oakland. it alleges that sheng thao and her partner, andre jones, offered up city hallhall to two members of the politically influential duong family, david duong and his son, andy. >> examples of promises allegedly made by thao include her

we did reach out to shengtao but have not heard back, but we have confirmed that tao's partner, andre jones, has been indicted. jones appeared to be leaving their house this afternoon holding a duffel bag before getting into the suv. in june, the fbi raided tao's home in oakland's lincoln highlands neighborhood. agents were moving boxes of materials, including laptops. that same day, agents also raided several properties tied to the politically connected huang family, who owned california waste solutions, the company that manages oakland's recycling program. the warrants and paperwork have remained sealed, and tao has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. for more insight about the indictment, we did speak to our legal analyst, michael cardoza. >> keep in mind, the burden of proof of the grand jury is probable cause, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. and there is a world of difference between establishing probable cause and then the government having to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. so don't think just because this grand jury indicted that she is, in fact, guilty. that's yet to be proved.

jones declined to take questions today. andre, do you have any comments? tao's attorney repeated his client's frequent claims of innocence, saying the case lacks evidence. the case is built on allegations from an unknown coconspirator that we believe when the evidence is revealed, will show that my client has committed no crimes. father and son david and andy duong face conspiracy, bribery and fraud charges. both of their attorneys also say they are innocent of all charges and will fight hard in court. meanwhile, those who spearheaded the recall election against house say her indictment even after she was ousted from office, impacts oakland. it's a sad day for oakland. this is not going to inspire confidence in the other in the business community to want to do business in oakland. in oakland. velena jones, nbc, bay area news. now, let's give you a timeline of how the investigation unfolded. it's a little bit complicated. we'll try to keep it straight. back in june, former oakland mayor sheng thao home was searched by the fbi, irs, and the u.s. postal inspe

and it focuses on the former mayor, mayor sheng thao, as well as her partner, andre jones, and their y's office saying today that they knowingly the duong family accepted, gave bribes to both the mayor and her partner jones in relation to a connection to her time as mayor. there were several promises that they say were made. the u.s. attorney's office says this all started back in october of 2022. they say this has been a lengthy investigation and they say they are still investigating. take a listen. the indictment charges a scheme that the defendants entered into, knowing that bribes would be offered and accepted by tao and jones in exchange for allowing the duong's to exercise illegal influence over the levers of city government. this started the month before the election, so in october of 2022. this is also when the u.s. postal service comes in as well. they had a part to do in the investigation because there was also fraud with the u.s. postal service alleged fraud there with campaign propaganda that was put out right before the election. so that is part of the investigation as we

exposed a pay to play scheme where allegedly former oakland mayor xiang tao and her romantic partner andre jones, traded political promises for campaign financing and cash. >> the indictment charges a scheme that the defendants entered into knowing that bribes would be offered and accepted by tao and jones in exchange for allowing the duong's to exercise illegal influence over the levers of city government. >> the eight count indictment was unsealed friday morning as part of a joint investigation by the fbi, irs, and the united states postal service. along with tao and jones, david and andy duong are also named the father and son of a high profile family in oakland, which has contracts with the city for its recycling program. >> today's announcement stems from an ongoing multi-year investigation into public corruption, initiated by information shared with the fbi from the oakland ethics commission. >> examples include allegedly agreeing to purchase modular homes from the duong's business, extend the duong's recycling contracts with the city, and for mayor tao to appoint a high level city officia

meanwhile, the mercury news is reporting that her partner, andre jones, has been indicted. we should note that the fbi has not confirmed any of these indictments, but we do know that this comes after months of investigation and speculation. now, this all started back in june when the fbi raided then mayor sheng thao home, taking away several boxes. the same day, agents raided the homes and businesses of multiple members of the dewan family who own cal waste solutions in oakland. recycling contractor tao and jones have both repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. tao also publicly stressed that she was not the target of any investigation. the then mayor also publicly criticized the fbi for the timing of the raid, noting it happened amid a growing push to recall her from office. those recall efforts ultimately succeeded. those reports of tao's indictment have recall organizers celebrating, and have some members of city council concerned about potential impacts to the integrity of city business. i'm shocked, di

in exchange, she and her longtime partner andre jones would get money and other benefits. prosecutors claim the bribes started in october 2020, two weeks before the mayoral election. the public needs to know it can trust those in charge of city hall to work for the best interests of the people of oakland. this public trust is broken when elected

it was a packed courtroom today in oakland with sheng thao, andre jones, david and indeed all present with their attorneys. we heard from lawyers, but the accused are staying silent. 24 hours after the federal indictment was announced listing the charges against sheng thao. >> the former oakland mayor appeared before a judge pleading not guilty and saying very little her attorney jeffs. i went on the defense on her behalf. today's indictment and the press conference that was held by the government. >> earlier this morning was successful and grabbing headlines. but what it did not do, we serve the ends of justice. the federal charges accusing talent or partner andre jones and accepting bribery money from recycling company owners, david and indeed, came 7 months after federal agents raided the%home of talent. jones side says tao looks forward to defending herself against the charges. fresh off a recall. and we think that the timing of the indictment has amplified, of course. >> the politicization of this issue, but it is not again serve the ends of justice and ensuring that everyone is

now we've reached out to the city as well as mayor thao and her last known representation in andre jones, and have not heard back yet. reporting live in the east bay velena jones nbc bay area news. lena. thank you. there is more to all of this. the reports of the former mayor's indictment come on the same day we're learning about another fbi raid involving another public official from the east bay. yesterday, the feds descended on the home of a city councilman in san leanandro. let bring in nbc's robert honda, who joins us in san leandro. robert, what's the link? do we know between mayor thao and the city councilman? there does seem to be some, as you heard velena say, the fbi has been keeping a pretty tight lid on information about any of the cases. so while observers are trying to connect the dots at this point, some crucial dots are still missing. the san leandro home of city councilman brian azevedo is quiet today, and a person inside told me azevedo was not there and he isn't returning our calls. but neighbors confirmed they saw the fbi raiding the home wednesday morning. they also

the mercury news is citing sources saying tao's boyfriend, andre jones, has also been indicted. neither report has been confirmed by the fbi, but the feds are expected to comment tomorrow morning. these indictments come after months of investigation and speculation. last june, the fbi raided then mayor thao's home. on the same day, they raided the homes of businesses, homes and businesses of multiple members of the duong family, which owns callaway solutions. it's an oakland recycling contractor. tao and her partner have both repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but the city leaders are concerned. this is really concerning and the impacts of what this means for the integrity of city services and city business is definitely concerning to me as a public official. we have reached out to the city, the former mayor and andre jones, for comment, but we have not heard back. so then there's this question is this connected in some way? tonight we've learned that another east bay politician has had his home raided by the fbi. the feds searched the home of san leandro city councilman brian az

four people are charged, including tao, her longtime romantic partner andre jones, and businessmen davidandy duong facing up to 100 years. abc seven news reporter anser hassan has our details as often the case. >> the accused left a money trail from their deceptive acts of corruption. >> special agent linda nguyen with the irs oakland field office, says the money trail led to a federal indictment that exposed a pay to play scheme where allegedly former oakland mayor xiang tao and her romantic partner andre jones traded

exposed a pay to play scheme where allegedly former oakland mayor xiang tao and her romantic partner andre jones traded political promises for campaign financing and cash. >> the indictment charges a scheme that the defendants entered into knowing that bribes would be offered and accepted by tao and jones in exchange for allowing the dugongs to exercise illegal influence over the levers of city government. >> the eight count indictment was unsealed friday morning as part of a joint investigation by the fbi, irs and the united states postal service. along with tao and jones, david and andy duong are also named the father and son of a high profile family in oakland, which has contracts with the city for its recycling program. >> today's announcement stems from an ongoing multi-year investigation into public corruption, initiated by information shared with the fbi from the oakland ethics commission. >> examples include allegedly agreeing to purchase modular homes from the duong's business, extene duong's recycling contracts with the city, and for mayor tao to appoint a high level city official to b

the documents also reveal that andre jones received checks from juarez. b ebb a former confidant of webb accused jones of running pay to play schemes during thao's campaign and after she won. webb who's running to replace thao testified before the grand jury. >> what i said two years ago, you know, the reason i resigned, because i was not going to be corrupted and i was not going to be a part of something that would continue to take oakland down. and so i really feel like this was just -- a breath of fresh air. you know. for us. as a city. >> the fbi and a u.s. attorney will be at the announcement this morning. you can follow that announcement and all the details that we expect to be revealed if we're not on air, you can go online, kpix.com and always on the free cbs news 24/7 app. >>> well, the fbi has arrested a san francisco man over his alleged role in the january 6th riot at the capitol. frank molnar lee george jr. was arrested in the city on sunday. the fbi provided the photos here they say show him at the capitol. they've highlighted the man in the

we have confirmed that mayor tao's partner, andre jones, has already been indicted. s appeared to be leaving their house yesterday holding a duffel bag before getting into that car. now in june, the fbi raided tao's home in oakland's lincoln highlands neighborhood. ktvu was there as agents removed boxes of materials, including laptops. that same day, agents also raided several properties tied to the politically connected huang family, who owned the company that manages oakland's recycling program. the warrants and the paperwork have remained sealed, and tao has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. now, to get more insight about the indictment, we talked to our legal expert, michael cardoza. >> keep in mind, the burden of proof of the grand jury is probable cause, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. and there is a world of difference between establishing probable cause and then the government having to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. so don't think just because this grand jury indicted that she is, in fact, guilty. that's yet to be proved. >> now, cardoza also says defe

the defense attorney for her partner, andre jones, confirms jones has been indicted. let's take a look back at the events that led up to all of this. in june, the fbi raided xiang tao's rental home near the mormon temple in oakland's lincoln highlands neighborhood. agents removed boxes of materials, including laptops. that same day, agents also raided several properties tied to the politically connected huang family, who own california waste solutions, the company that manages oakland's recycling program. in november, tao was recalled as mayor. critics said she failed to crack down on crime and fired former police chief leronne armstrong and was responsible for sports teams leaving a cash strapped oakland. the warrants and paperwork remain sealed for now, but we expect any evidence to be unsealed once the feds officially discuss the case. tao has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. i went to her home after the news broke to see if she would answer the door. i did not get a response. we spoke to our legal expert, michael cardoza, about the developments. >> keep in mind,

jones and the wong's have also pleaded not guilty. andre, do you have any comments? emma goss for today in the bay. meanwhile, some candidates who are vying to replace tao are now weighing in. former congresswoman barbara lee says in part, quote, city hall must never be for sale. we need a fresh start in oakland. our local governance and political system must be beyond reproach. every oaklander deserves no less. we also reached out to candidate reina webb, who was tao's former chief of staff. we have yet to hear back. we will continue our coverage of former mayor thao's indictment on our website, nbcbayarea.com. you can also see a detailed timeline of how that case got to this point. we want to take you now to monterey county, where all evacuation orders have been lifted for people who live near a fire at one of the world's largest battery plants. the fire initially broke out on thursday at the moss landing vistra power plant. it's a lithium battery energy storage facility. the fire once again flared up yesterday because the fire is being fueled by lithium ion batter

tao's former boyfriend, andre jones, along with oakland businessman david duong and his son andy, face those same charges. prosecutors allege the scheme began in 2022, just before tao was elected mayor. >> weeks before that election, tao made commitments to take official actions as mayor that would benefit the duong's. >> the former mayor and the three other defendants all entered pleas of not guilty. tao stood next to her attorney as he made this statement in her defense. >> the case is built on allegations from an unknown coconspirator that we believe, when the evidence is revealed, will show that my client has committed no crimes. >> well, there's been strong political reaction in oakland to sheng tao's indictment on federal corruption charges. >> lauren taylor, who lost to tao by fewer than 700 votes when he ran against her back in 2022, is outraged by the allegation. taylor announced that he is running for oakland mayor again in the special election that will take place in april. he says tao's win has had serious consequences for the city of oakland. >> my first reaction, literall

tao, alongside her partner andre jones, are both accused of trading political favors for cash.tion to the duong's number two residents with an i.d. are allowed to return home after a fire sparked at moss landing at this battery plant. the plant could remain offline for weeks as officials investigate the cause. number three. we finally have a cease fire in the middle east after 15 months of war. after a tense last minute talks, the israeli government approved a temporary peace deal with hamas. the first phase is set to take effect starting tomorrow. and number four, cooler temperatures and light winds are helping fire crews battle the devastating blazes in southern california. the eaton fire that ripped through altadena and forced evacuations through pasadena is now 73% contained, and the palisades fire is 43% contained this morning. >> number five, we have a blanket of low clouds and fog that will give way to mostly sunny conditions, 50s to low 60s today. >> and number six, walgreens is facing a lawsuit from the department of justice over dispensing unlawful prescriptions. the

tao, along with her partner andre jones, are accused of trading political favors for cash.wed to return home after a fire sparked at a moss landing battery plant. the plant could remain offline for weeks as officials investigate the cause. number three. we finally have a cease fire in the middle east after 15 months of war. after a tense last minute talks, the israeli government approved a temporary peace deal with hamas. that first phase is set to take effect starting tomorrow. and number four. cooler temperatures and light winds are helping fire crews battle the devastating blazes in southern california. the eaton fire that ripped through altadena and forced evacuations through pasadena is now 65% contained. the palisades fire is 39% contained. >> number five. 30s and 40s here with low clouds and fog this afternoon. 50s and low 60s with plenty of sun. >> number six. walgreens is facing a lawsuit from the doj over dispensing unlawful prescriptions. the doj claims the drug provider issued millions of dangerous opioid and other drugs without confirming they were valid. and n

reports, including one in the chronicle, which cites sources saying that she and her boyfriend, andre jonested as part of the ongoing grand jury corruption probe. now, this all follows last summer's fbi raid to her home. that's when agents also raided the homes and businesses of a powerful east bay family, which owns california waste solutions. oakland's contracted recycler. she has not issued the mayor. the former mayor. that is a comment about this. but in the past, she has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. legal analyst stephen clark believes that there are reasons that this is taking so much time for the other shoe to drop. i think it involves more than just the former mayor, and so it was important that they took the time before you bring a case like this. these are serious allegations, and it's important that you successfully investigate these cases. right now, all we know for certain is the u.s. attorney's office is making what it calls a significant announcement that is scheduled for this morning at ten. as for the future of oakland's leadership and the next permanent mayor. well, today

but the attorney representing her partner, andre jones, says he plans to turn himself in today. tao was elected mayor of oakland in 2022, and was then recalled by voters last fall. it's now been about seven months since the fbi raided her home, along with several other locations, including properties belonging to the huang family. the family holds oakland's curbside recycling contract with california waste solutions. that family has been the focus of a city probe into campaign contributions. the former chief of staff for shengtao says she testified in front of a grand jury last month. >> i was informed that there was pay to play, you know, schemes going on, that there was corruptive behavior going on in that administration in front of cameras. >> days after the raid, former mayor tao denied any wrongdoing andtedly said she believed she was not the target of the investigation. and we've just learned that a community group that was behind the effort to recall tao will hold their own press conference this morning at 830, just 30 minutes before we're expecting to hear from federal p

it was a packed courtroom today in oakland with sheng thao, andre jones, david and indeed all present with their attorneys. we heard from lawyers, but the accused are staying silent. 24 hours after the federal indictment was announced listing the charges against sheng thao. >> the former oakland mayor appeared before a judge pleading not guilty and saying very little her attorney jeffs. i went on the defense on her behalf. today's indictment and the press conference that was held by the government. >> earlier this morning was successful and grabbing headlines. but what it did not do, we serve the ends of justice. the federal charges accusing talent, her partner, andrea jones and accepting bribery money from recycling company owners, david and indeed came 7 months after federal agents raided the home of talent. jones. >> side questions. the timing of the indictment against his client fresh off a recall and says tell looks forward to defending herself against the charges. the case is built on allegations from an unknown co-conspirator that we believe when the evidence is revealed will s

was recalled from august and last june the fbi raided the home thao shares with her boyfriend, andre jones. investigators also raided properties linked with the duong family. they were investigated for allegedly making illicit campaign donations to thao and other politicians. investigators have not revealed what possible crime they were looking into. when we interviewed thao last summer, she offered a blanket denial of any wrongdoing. >> i am not the subject of investigation. i have done nothing wrong. >> the u.s. attorney's office is planning to make a major announcement tomorrow morning. the charges against thao could be included in that announcement. we'll have the latest for you on our evening edition at 5:00. >>> now to the latest on the southern california wildfires, governor newsom issued an executive order aimed at helping people displaced by the disaster. it looks to remove red tape and streamline construction of temporary housing units and also protects renters from price gouging on hotels and rental units. here's a 3d look at the extent of the damage from the eaton fire. it has

now, tao has reportedly been indicted along with her partner andre jones. the news was first reported by the san francisco chronicle. >> she has to deal with the consequences of her actions. >> the fbi raided tao's home last summer, along with several other locations, including properties belonging to the duong family. the family holds oakland's curbside recycling contract through their california waste solutions firm. that family has been the focus of a city probe into campaign contributions in front of cameras. days after the raid, former mayor tao denied any wrongdoing. >> and i want to be crystal clear i have done nothing wrong. i can tell you with confidence that this investigation is not about me. >> it's not clear what charges tao faces. we reached out to attorneys and investigators, but have not heard back. webb testified in front of a grand jury last month. >> i was informed that there was pay to play, you know, schemes going on, that there was corruptive behavior going on in that administration. >> thursday evening, abc7 news insider phil matier s

we have confirmed that tao's partner, andre jones, has been indicted.ones appeared to be leaving their house this afternoon holding a duffel bag before getting into a car. ktvu henry lee has been closely following the story, and brings us a look at a timeline of the events that could lead to an indictment for the recalled mayor. >> in june, the fbi raided xiang tao's rental home near the mormon temple in oakland's lincoln highlands neighborhood. agents removed boxes of materials, including laptops. that same day, agents also raided several properties tied to the politically connected huang family, who own california waste solutions, the company that manages oakland's recycling program. in november, tao was recalled as mayor. critics said she failed to crack down on crime and fired former police chief leronne armstrong and was responsible for sports teams leaving a cash strapped oakland. the warrants and paperwork remained sealed for now, but we expect any evidence to be unsealed once the feds officially discuss the case. tao has repeatedly denied any wr

but the attorney representing her partner, andre jones, says he plans to turn himself in today. tao was elected mayor of oakland in 2022, and was then recalled by voters last fall. it's now been about seven months since the fbi raided her home, along with several other locations, including properties belonging to the loooooong family. the family holds oakland's curbside recycling contract with california waste solutions. that family has been the focus of a city probe into campaign contributions. rene webb, the former chief of staff for shengtao, says she testified in front of a grand jury last month. >> i was informed that there was pay to play, you know, schemes going on, that there was corruptive behavior going on in that administration in front of cameras. >> days after the raid, former mayor tao denied any wrongdoing and repeatedly said she believed she was not the target of this investigation. and we've just learned that a community group that was behind the effort to recall tao will hold their own press conference at 830, just 30 minutes before we're expecting to hear from

waste solutions, along with a group called evolutionary homes and documents tied to tao's partner, andre jones. that subpoena also demanded records tied to the 2022 mayoral election. now, today, the u.s. attorney's office and federal officials announced they will hold a press conference tomorrow morning to detail what they're describing as a significant law enforcement action tonight. many believe that's when we'll hear more about this case. now we've reached out to the city as well as mayor thao, for comment and have not heard back just yet. reporting live in the east bay velena jones nbc bay area news. thank you. velena. meantime, a new but familiar candidate is entering the race for oakland mayor lauren taylor officially launched his campaign today. taylor ran against now recalled mayor sheng thao back in 2022 to beat taylor by less than 700 votes. taylor is an oakland native, a businessman and a former city council member. he talked about how his vision for oakland. what's his vision for oakland? after filing papers at city hall earlier today. it's important to recognize that the problems

but we have confirmed that tao's partner, andre jones, has been indicted. jones appeared to be leaving their house this afternoon holding a duffel bag before getting into his car. ktvu henry lee has been closely following that story, and brings us a look at the timeline of the events that could lead up to an indictment of the former mayor. >> in june, the fbi raided xiang tao's rental home near the mormon temple in oakland's lincoln highlands neighborhood. agents removed boxes of materials, including laptops. that same day, agents also raided several properties tied to the politically connected huang family, who own california waste solutions, the company that manages oakland's recycling program. in november, tao was recalled as mayor. critics said she failed to crack down on crime and fired former police chief leronne armstrong and was responsible for sports teams leaving a cash strapped oakland. the warrants and paperwork remained sealed for now, but we expect any evidence to be unsealed once the feds officially discuss the case. tao has repeatedly denied

thao and her romantic partner, andre jones, are accused in a bribery scheme involving the duong family, the recycling company for the city of oakland. two members of the family, patriarch david, the company's president and ceo, and andy, his son, were also charged today. all four defendants have pleaded not guilty. this all comes more than half a year after the fbi raided the home thao and