Ex-San Leandro Councilman Admits To Accepting Bribes: DOJ

SAN LEANDRO, CA — An embattled and recently retired San Leandro councilman has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a federal corruption case, according to authorities.

Bryan Azevedo, 49, admitted in court Wednesday to engaging in a conspiracy to accept bribes in exchange for using his official position to obtain favorable treatment and city contracts for a housing company, and to lying to federal investigators, according to the Department of Justice.

Azevedo now faces more than 20 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. A judge will impose a sentence during the next court hearing on Dec. 3.

The bribery scheme dates back to 2023, when Azevedo attended a 10-day delegation trip to Vietnam sponsored by a housing company seeking to do business with him, according to authorities.

When he returned from the trip, Azevedo met with an associate at the housing company and agreed to use his authority as a San Leandro official to help them obtain city contracts, prosecutors said.

Between fall 2023 and spring 2024, Azevedo took steps that benefited the housing company, including advocating for an emergency shelter ordinance. That emergency ordinance was eventually passed by the council in June 2024, according to federal prosecutors.

Azevedo also tried to convince other council members to have the city buy housing units from the company, federal prosecutors said.

The agreement between Azevedo and the housing company ensured the council member would get a percentage of whatever money the housing company got from selling units to the city of San Leandro, authorities said.

Azevedo, under instruction from the housing company, opened an LLC and bank account in his wife's name to mask his involvement in the scheme, authorities said.

The council member was interviewed by FBI agents in January about his involvement and lied to them, saying he had not received any payments from them, according to authorities.

The FBI eventually served a warrant at Azevedo's home. It's unclear what they found, but he was hit with federal corruption charges in October.

On Monday, just days before pleading guilty, the city of San Leandro announced that Azevedo had chosen to retire from his role as a councilmember. He had been re-elected in 2024 to represent the city's District 2.