Ex-Oakland Mayor Faces Prison
Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, California, is now facing up to 95 years in jail if she’s convicted on federal bribery charges.
The FBI, along with the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Postal Service, raided Thao’s home in 2025 after two whistleblowers alleged that the progressive Democratic mayor had been receiving illegal bribe money and kickbacks. A recycling company supposedly made the payments in return for a pay for play contract.
The trial against Thao is set to begin in October. She is the first Hmong refugee to serve as a political leader in the United States. The Hmong are a tribe originally from Laos. Here’s more from Steve Turley.
