FBI agents fanned out across one of California’s deepest-blue counties Tuesday morning, and the target was the machinery that decides what local property is worth.
According to KTVU, agents served three federal search warrants in Contra Costa County on June 9, including one at the county tax assessor’s office.
The other two warrants hit homes tied to longtime Assessor Gus Kramer in Martinez and Assistant County Assessor Vince Robb in Pacheco.
That office helps set the taxable value of real estate and property across the county.
FBI agents served three search warrants in Contra Costa County on Tuesday morning, including at the tax assessor's office, and the homes of the current and outgoing tax assessor, according to the agency, interviews and video at the scene. https://t.co/pjIpWWSqzN
— KTVU (@KTVU) June 10, 2026
KQED reported that FBI spokesperson Cameron Polan confirmed the warrants were part of an ongoing investigation.
The bureau declined to say more because the investigation is active.
KQED and KTVU both reported that a search warrant obtained by The Mercury News cited evidence of wire fraud and other offenses.
Federal prosecutors have announced no charges in the matter.
Robb told KTVU that agents showed up at his home around 7 a.m., seized his phone and laptops, and would not tell him why they were there.
Kramer came out swinging. He told KTVU that people were trying to weaponize the FBI to intimidate the assessor’s office over values placed on some large properties.
ABC7 reported that Kramer called the whole thing a “fishing expedition” and maintained his innocence.
The official Contra Costa County assessor page lays out why a federal search there lands so hard:
Welcome to the Contra Costa County Assessor’s Office. The County Assessor is an elected official and is governed by the California Constitution, the laws passed by the Legislature, and the rules adopted by the State Board of Equalization.
For online assistance, use the quick links below.
ADVERTISEMENTProposition 19
Taxpayer Alert
Review Your Value
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View Your Tax Bill
Duties
Discovering and assessing all property within the County
Producing and delivering an assessment roll by July 1 of each year
Valuing all real property
Auditing all entities doing business in the County and valuing all taxable personal property
Establishing and maintaining a set of more than 12,000 maps for assessment purposes, delineating every parcel of land in the County
Providing a public information service to assist taxpayers with questions about property ownership and assessmentContact Us
Gus Kramer
County Assessor
Email Gus Kramer
Phone: 925-313-7400
Biography (PDF)
Assessor
Fax: 925-313-7488
TTY: Call 711
Address
2530 Arnold Dr, Suite 100
Martinez, CA 94553
Office Hours
Monday through Friday
8:00am to 4:00pm
Phone Hours
Directory
Assessor’s Office Directory
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Frequently Asked Questions
Forms
Maps & Property Information
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Helpful Terms
Recent Assessment Changes
Related Links
That is the local tax-assessing apparatus now sitting inside a federal probe.
The timing adds another layer.
KTVU reported that Kramer announced in March he would not seek a ninth term after 32 years in office and is expected to retire in December.
His assistant, Robb, won the June 2 election with 68 percent of the vote and is slated to take over in January.
So agents searched a county office, the home of the man on his way out, and the home of the man elected to come in.
KTVU also reported that a 2019 grand jury accused Kramer of willful or corrupt misconduct in office tied to an alleged hostile work environment.
That case ended in a mistrial.
ABC7 reported that all five members of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors had endorsed Kramer’s opponent in the 2022 election and publicly censured him in 2019.
Richmondside reported that Supervisor John Gioia said the board is focused on ensuring the integrity of the property assessment process and exploring options for keeping the office running.
The party label deserves precision here.
Ballotpedia lists the 2026 county assessor candidates as nonpartisan, which means the race itself does not carry a formal party label.
Politically, this is still deep-blue California ground. The Democratic Party of Contra Costa County endorsed a different assessor candidate, Nicholas Spinner, in the 2026 primary.
Now federal agents are combing through the office that decides what property is worth in that same county power structure.
The FBI says the investigation is ongoing, and the warrant reporting points toward wire fraud and other offenses.
The rest will come out when the feds decide it is time.
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
