Bryan Azevedo, a former member of the San Leandro City Council, has admitted guilt to corruption charges, including conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and making false statements. The case is linked to a federal investigation involving former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. Azevedo's plea follows a probe into his dealings with a co-conspirator and a modular housing company, where he allegedly used his position to benefit the company in exchange for financial gain. He faces significant prison time and fines.
Former San Leandro City Council member Bryan Azevedo has pleaded guilty to charges of corruption, according to federal prosecutors. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced that Azevedo, 49, admitted guilt to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and one count of making a false statement to federal investigators. This plea comes after Azevedo was indicted in October and subsequently resigned from his council position on Tuesday.
Azevedo's political career began in 2020 when he was first elected, followed by a re-election in 2024. The investigation is connected to a broader federal corruption probe that also involves former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, who has pleaded not guilty to related charges. The case highlights concerns about potential corruption and the misuse of public office within the local political landscape.\The investigation details a scheme involving Azevedo's activities and his association with a co-conspirator and a modular housing company. Prosecutors revealed that in the summer of 2023, Azevedo participated in a trip to Vietnam sponsored by a business association controlled by the co-conspirator's family, where all his expenses, including business-class travel, accommodation, and meals, were covered. Following the trip, an agreement was made that Azevedo would use his position on the council to advocate for the co-conspirator's modular housing company, which involved taking votes that would benefit the company and securing the city's purchase of their housing units. In exchange for these actions, Azevedo was promised a percentage of the profits from the city's housing unit purchases. This arrangement required setting up an LLC and a bank account under his wife's name to receive kickbacks and avoid detection, demonstrating a deliberate effort to conceal illicit financial transactions. Azevedo took several actions to support the modular housing company including voting in favor of an emergency shelter ordinance, organizing tours of model units for city officials, and promoting the city's procurement of the housing units.\The scheme's discovery and subsequent legal proceedings highlight the severity of the alleged corruption and the lengths taken to conceal it. The actions taken by Azevedo were considered a blatant abuse of his position as a public servant. During an FBI raid of Azevedo's home in January 2025, he made false statements to agents, denying receiving cash from the co-conspirator and misrepresenting the family's business interests. The false statements only serve to compound the severity of his actions and highlight the steps taken to try and cover up the illegal activity. Azevedo now faces severe penalties, including a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine for the honest services fraud conviction, as well as an additional five years and a $250,000 fine for the false statement conviction. Azevedo's next court appearance, a status hearing, is scheduled for December 3. Meanwhile, San Leandro city officials are set to discuss how to fill Azevedo's vacant council seat at an upcoming meeting, addressing the aftermath of this corruption case and its effects on the local governance structure
Corruption San Leandro Bryan Azevedo Sheng Thao Fraud
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