Oakland Corruption Trial: FBI Agent Describes Texts, Photos Seized From Defendants | KQED

After testimony in the corruption trial involving former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao revealed the origins of the FBI’s city hall probe, a federal agent returned to the witness stand Thursday and shed new light on the evidence the government has in hand. FBI Special Agent Katherine Barclay spent roughly five hours Thursday describing to the jury the evidence her agency seized in its investigation of Thao and three others, including text messages, photos, videos, phone records, and Apple notes, among other items. Thao, her long-time partner Andre Jones, recycling executive David Duong and his son, Andy Duong, are facing bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges. All four have pleaded not guilty. On Monday, Barclay told the jury the FBI’s investigation began in February 2023, following a tip from Oakland’s Public Ethics Commission that businessman and political operative Mario Juarez, a long-time ally of the Duongs, had printed campaign mailers against Thao’s opponents.

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