'They shouldn’t have as much stuff on me'

'Because I didn’t do nothing,' said San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo in a TV interview that required a lot of unpacking; Fremont's mayor criticizes Trump's tariffs

San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo at a council meeting in March.

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—Embattled San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo, whose home was searched by FBI agents on Jan. 7, told ABC7 Bay Area that he’s worried about being arrested in connection with the FBI’s ongoing public corruption investigation. In fact, he’s counting the days.

Azevedo is believed to be one of the FBI’s targets in the alleged public corruption case that led to indictments in January of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao; her partner, Andre Jones; in addition to David Duong and Andy Duong of California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s recycling services provider.

Over the past three months, Azevedo has made cursory comments about the raid, in addition to addressing rumors about his trip to Vietnam in July 2023. However, his chat with Dan Noyes of ABC7 Bay Area was his first wide-ranging interview.

—Here’s some of the new ground broken in this burgeoning story:

• Azevedo said he’s worried about being arrested, and counting the days based on the 210 days between the raid on Thao’s home in late June 2024 and her indictment on Jan. 9.

• “They shouldn’t have as much stuff on me,” Azevedo said, adding, “because I didn’t do nothing.”

• Azevedo has not hired a lawyer because of the high cost.

• “Get out here with your hands up,” FBI agents told Azevedo on the morning of Jan. 7. Azevedo’s home and garage were trashed by FBI agents, he said, who seized, cellphones, laptops, and iPads.

• Citing a source with knowledge of the investigation, Noyes reports the FBI is looking into whether Azevedo had a financial agreement with the Duongs.

• When asked if Azevedo had a deal that would give him a percentage of any container homes sold in San Leandro, he said. “I don’t remember nothing,” and chose to make no further comment before denying the assertion.

• Azevedo acknowledged rampant rumors about his trip to Vietnam involving women, drugs, and alcohol. “We got massages and we were at places where there was women around, but that doesn’t mean I did anything,” Azevedo said.

• He later added, “They were saying we had prostitutes. All this stuff. Yeah, we got massages. That doesn’t mean they’re prostitutes. We had people serving drinks.”

• Azevedo offered that FBI agents questioned him about drugs while on the Vietnam trip, including being stopped at customs on the trip back. Azevedo said he was in customs, not for drugs, but for packing five lighters from a casino. “That’s how rumors get out there,” Azevedo said.

• San Leandro Juan Gonzalez III told ABC7 that Azevedo attempted to help the Duongs in their unsuccessful bid in 2024 to win the city’s garbage contract. Azevedo denied the allegation, according to Noyes.

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More inside:

• Fremont’s mayor says Trump’s tariffs will greatly affect the city and its residents.

• Labor led Lee to victory, now they’re moving to a new front: Oakland’s likely tumultuous budget season.

• Alameda Food Bank has successfully faced down a CEQA lawsuit that threatened its ability to fundraise for its new building at Alameda Point.

• Rep. Lateefah Simon is hosting town halls in San Leandro and Alameda.