Jurors heard secret recordings Wednesday in the corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao.
Prosecutors believe the recordings help prove that David and Andy Duong, the father-and-son co-defendants, were part of a bribery and corruption scheme involving Thao and her longtime boyfriend Andre Jones, who is also a co-defendant.
Jurors heard about 40 minutes of audio from board meetings at California Waste Solutions, the company owned by the Duongs. The recordings were secretly made by Cecilia Mendez, a former employee of the company.
In the recordings, businessman Mario Juarez can be heard complaining to David and Andy Duong about the mayor not keeping up her end of the bargain to buy modular housing units from Evolutionary Homes, a company Juarez helped start with the Duongs.
“I think it’s disappointing she’s not keeping promises,” Juarez said. “Will be problem for her re-election.”
“I have long memory and I’m pretty vengeful,” Juarez said. “There’s consequences for not keeping your end of the bargain.”
Prosecutors said the Duongs helped Thao get elected. In exchange, she allegedly used her position as mayor to promise to buy housing units from the Duongs, extend their recycling contract and pay her boyfriend, Andre Jones, through a job with Evolutionary Homes.
The recordings also mentioned Jones asking for more money from the company.
Mendez testified that she was convicted in 2019 of acting as a real estate agent without a license, grand theft and ID theft.
She also testified that the federal government granted her immunity Tuesday for secretly recording the meetings in exchange for her testimony Wednesday.
During cross-examination by David Duong’s attorney, Mendez testified about her close connection with Juarez, including that they shared a daughter and remained close business partners after their separation as a couple in 2005.
The defense is trying to call into question the credibility of Mendez and Juarez.
Juarez has already pleaded guilty for his role in the bribery and corruption scheme and is expected to testify on behalf of the government in return for a lighter sentence.
