San Leandro councilmember charged in FBI corruption case linked to former Oakland mayor

The federal corruption investigation that made headlines in Oakland final yr has unfold to neighboring San Leandro, the place prosecutors on Tuesday accused Councilman Bryan Azevedo of taking bribes from the operators of a housing firm in search of to do enterprise along with his metropolis.

In line with the cost sheet, which was first reported by the San Francisco ChronicleIn 2023, Azevedo attended a authorities delegation to Vietnam organized by a enterprise affiliation managed by a co-conspirator who needed Azevedo to assist his firm win profitable metropolis contracts.

The enterprise group might be the Vietnamese-American Business Associationa community based by Oakland businessman David Duong and his household. Duong can be the pinnacle of California Waste Options, a recycling firm that contracts with Oakland to gather waste.

In January, federal prosecutors accused Duong and his son Andy of a scheme to bribe Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and her associate, Andre Jones, in pursuing contracts for a housing firm, Evolutionary Houses. The Duongs based Evolutionary Houses and are pursuing homeless shelter contracts.

In line with the brand new indictment towards Azevedo, the San Leandro councilman met with two people — recognized within the indictment as “Co-Conspirator 1” and “Co-Conspirator 2” — and agreed to assist them acquire a metropolis contract for a housing company. In return, prosecutors allege Azevedo would obtain a share of the earnings from the models San Leandro bought.

The housing firm is just not talked about within the newest loading paperwork for Azevdo. However primarily based on earlier reviews and public knowledge, the corporate is probably going Evolutionary Houses. The Duongs based Evolutionary Houses in 2022 in partnership with Mario Juarez, a Fruitvale businessman lively in native politics.

On the instruction of his co-conspirators, Azevedo allegedly fashioned a restricted legal responsibility firm and a checking account in his spouse’s identify to obtain the bribes and kickback funds and to masks his involvement within the scheme, prosecutors allege. In November 2023, two months after opening the checking account, Co-Conspirator 1 met Azevedo for dinner in Alameda and gave him $2,000 in money.

Within the following months, Azevedo is alleged to have taken steps in favor of Evolutionary Houses. In line with prosecutors, Azevedo pleaded responsible to at least one emergency shelter regulation that might have given Evolutionary Houses extra alternatives to promote its properties to the town. Azevedo additionally took different San Leandro officers on a tour of the corporate’s mannequin models. On June 17, 2024, Azevedo voted in favor of an emergency ordinance within the municipal council.

Three days after this vote, on June 20, the FBI and different federal brokers raided the properties of Sheng Thao, her romantic associate Andre Jones, and properties related to David and Andy Duong. In an indictment unsealed in January 2025, prosecutors accused Thao and Jones of receiving tens of hundreds of {dollars} in bribes in alternate for promising favors to the Duongs, together with the acquisition of properties from Evolutionary Houses.

Azevedo’s home was also robbed in January. In an interview with ABC 7 News, Azevedo stated officers took his cellphones, laptops and iPads. In line with media reviews, federal prosecutors notified Azevedo in Could that he was the goal of a federal investigation.

In line with the newest charging paperwork, Azevedo allegedly lied to federal brokers throughout an interview by telling them he had not acquired funds from Co-conspirator 1. Brokers additionally requested if Co-conspirator 1’s household had any enterprise pursuits with the town of San Leandro, and Azevedo stated they didn’t.

It is a improvement story. Verify again for updates.