Former Oakland mayor, longtime partner indicted in alleged bribery scheme

OAKLAND (AP) — Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her longtime partner and two local businessmen were named in an indictment unsealed Friday alleging the four conspired to funnel city business to companies owned by the men in exchange for money and benefits to Thao and her partner.

Thao, Andre Jones and business owners Andy and David Duong were indicted on charges of bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud. Andy Duong also was charged with one count of lying to federal agents. All four made an initial appearance Friday.

Federal prosecutors allege Thao, who was elected Oakland's mayor in 2022, agreed that the city would purchase housing units from one of the Duongs' companies and renew the city's contract with a recycling company David Duong owned. In exchange, David Duong and his son, Andy, promised to fund a $75,000 mailer attacking Thao's political opponents and make $300,000 in payments for a no-show job for Jones, who is described in the indictment as Thao's longtime romantic partner who lived with Thao in Oakland.

“The alleged activities of the accused have led to a growing sense of distrust among taxpayers and elected officials,” Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Linda Nguyen said at a news conference Friday announcing the indictments. “As alleged, David and Andy Duong used bribes to further the profitability of their business interests and to obtain undo influence over the appointment of high-level Oakland city officials.”

David Duong was the president and CEO of a recycling company that provided residential recycling collection services to Oakland homes and also co-owned with Andy Duong a housing company formed in 2022 to manufacture prefabricated modular homes for unhoused people.

If convicted of all counts, each faces up to 35 years in prison. Andy Duong faces up to an additional five years if convicted of lying to agents.

Thao's attorney, Jeff Tsai, did not immediately respond to messages Friday seeking comment on the indictments. Court records do not list the names of attorneys for Jones or the Duongs. A telephone message left Friday with the San Francisco office of David Duong's recycling company, Cal Waste Solutions, also was not immediately returned.

Thao delivered a defiant statement in June after federal authorities raided her home, saying at the time that she did nothing wrong and that she had no plans to resign from office.

Voters in Oakland ousted Thao from office during a recall election in November just two years after she narrowly won office, becoming the first Hmong-American woman to become the mayor of a major U.S. city.

She faced criticism almost immediately after taking office for firing popular Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong. Frustrated voters, including the local NAACP, blamed Thao for a long list of city woes related to public safety, homelessness and the city’s budget, and she went into the recall election weakened by the FBI raid on her home.

Longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee is among those seeking to replace Thao as Oakland's next mayor.

Andre Jones, along with his partner Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland were criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation, arrives at the United States District Court in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, right, stands with federal officials as he speaks at a news conference announcing the indictment of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in San Francisco, Calif. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and federal officials hold a news conference announcing the indictment of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in San Francisco, Calif. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao stands in front of the United States District Court for a press conference following her arraignment of federal charges in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, as Tuan Ngo, founder of Asians Unite, protests at right. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao stands next to her lawyer Jeff Tsai outside the United States District Court after a hearing in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, as Tuan Ngo, founder of Asians Unite, protests at right. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao stands in front of the United States District Court for a press conference following her arraignment of federal charges in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Ahn Sung-ki, one of South Korean cinema’s biggest stars whose prolific 60-year career and positive, gentle public image earned him the nickname “The Nation’s Actor,” died on Monday. He was 74.

The death of Ahn, who had been fighting blood cancer for years, was announced by his agency, the Artist Company, and the Seoul-based Soonchunhyang University Hospital.

Born to a filmmaker in the southeastern city of Daegu in 1952, Ahn made his debut as a child actor in the movie “The Twilight Train” in 1957. He subsequently appeared in about 70 movies as a child actor before he left the film industry to live an ordinary life.

In 1970, Ahn entered Seoul’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies as a Vietnamese major. Ahn said he graduated with top honors but failed to land jobs at big companies, who likely saw his Vietnamese major largely useless after a communist victory in the Vietnam War in 1975.

After spending a few years unemployed, Ahn returned to the film industry in 1977 believing he could still excel in acting. In 1980, he rose to fame for his lead role in Lee Jang-ho’s “Good, Windy Days,” a hit coming-of-age movie about the struggle of working-class men from rural areas during the country’s rapid rise. Ahn won the best new actor award in the prestigious Grand Bell Awards, the Korean version of the Academy Awards.

He later starred in a series of highly successful and critically acclaimed movies, sweeping best actor awards and becoming arguably the country’s most popular actor in much of the 1980-90s.

Some of his memorable roles included a Buddhist monk in 1981’s “Mandara,” a beggar in 1984’s “Whale Hunting,” a Vietnam War veteran-turned-novelist in 1992’s “White Badge,” a corrupt police officer in 1993’s “Two Cops,” a murderer in 1999’s “No Where To Hide,” a special forces trainer in 2003’s “Silmido” and a devoted celebrity manager in 2006’s “Radio Star.”

Ahn had collected more than 20 trophies in major movie awards in South Korea, including winning the Grand Bell Awards for best actor five times, an achievement no other South Korean actors have matched yet.

Ahn built up an image as a humble, trustworthy and family-oriented celebrity who avoided major scandals and maintained a quiet, stable personal life. Past public surveys chose Ahn as South Korea’s most beloved actor and deserving of the nickname “The Nation’s Actor.”

In interviews with local media, Ahn couldn’t choose what his favorite movie was, but said that his role as a dedicated, hardworking manger for a washed-up rock singer played by Park Jung-hoon resembled himself in real life the most.

FILE - South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki smiles for a photo on the red carpet at the 56th Daejong Film Awards ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, June 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

FILE - South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki attends an event as part of the 11th Pusan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 13, 2006. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)