The Bay Area political scene is giving us another dramatic storyline that feels more like a Netflix crime drama than local government.

San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo is facing serious federal heat after being charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and making false statements to the FBI. The juicy details? He allegedly accepted a crisp $2,000 cash envelope from Andy Duong during a dinner in Alameda - talk about a shady business meeting.

The Corruption Cocktail

Azevedo isn’t just a lone wolf in this political mess. He’s connected to the broader scandal involving former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, who was already recalled and hit with her own federal bribery charges. The alleged scheme? Steering city contracts to specific businesses in exchange for cold, hard cash.

Follow the Money

The plot thickens: Azevedo reportedly created an LLC and bank account under his wife’s name - seemingly as a convenient hiding spot for potential kickbacks. When the FBI came knocking, he allegedly denied receiving any payments and claimed the Duongs had no business with San Leandro. Spoiler alert: The feds weren’t buying it.

The Fallout

While Evolutionary Homes (the company at the center of this drama) has since gone out of business, the legal consequences are just heating up. Another reminder that in Bay Area politics, transparency isn’t just a buzzword - it’s a necessity.