Embattled San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus not only had an alleged inappropriate relationship with a top staffer, but also made an effort to conceal negative information in the background file, according to documents in a county-commissioned report that were recently made available to the public.
The so-called “Keker report,” prepared by the San Francisco law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters, outlines multiple allegations of misconduct against Corpus, who faces two separate challenges to her leadership: a removal effort by the Board of Supervisors and a civil grand jury accusation also alleging misconduct and corruption that was recently filed in San Mateo County Superior Court.
In addition to efforts to conceal negative records on the background file of her former campaign manager and chief of staff, Victor Aenlle, with whom she is accused of having an inappropriate relationship, the report says Corpus failed to investigate serious incidents involving deputies who supported her or her campaign — including a case in which an allegedly gang-affiliated teenager was allowed to vape in a patrol car and another involving the alleged abuse of incarcerated people. It also accuses her of retaliating against critics and disregarding internal affairs recommendations.
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When asked by this news organization on Tuesday, Corpus denied she attempted to conceal anything in Aenlle’s background file, describing the allegation as “a gross mischaracterization” unsupported by evidence. She said the request to restrict access was made “in accordance with legal and ethical standards to protect the integrity of internal records and the privacy rights of individuals involved.”
In one key instance, the Keker report alleges that Corpus restricted access to records produced during a background check of Aenlle before he assumed a civilian post. Aenlle and Corpus have both denied having an inappropriate relationship, but the report is the first to describe alleged efforts to shield his personnel records.
Sheriff’s Lt. Jonathan Sebring was aware that Aenlle’s background check contained “an old report from a local police department containing allegations of criminal conduct,” the report states. It does not detail the nature of the complaint.
After Sebring accessed the file, Corpus asked who else could view it, according to the Keker report. When told members of the department’s Professional Standards Bureau had access, including a lieutenant, captain, and assistant sheriff, she instructed Sebring to restrict it. The lieutenant then coordinated with the Sheriff’s Office Technical Services Unit and confirmed once access was limited.
The report describes multiple misconduct incidents involving deputies perceived as loyal to Corpus that the report said she allegedly ignored. One case from August 2024 involved a deputy who allowed a minor affiliated with a gang to smoke an electronic cigarette in the front seat of a patrol car while recording it on video. The deputy and the deputy’s spouse had contributed to Corpus’ campaign and the deputy was considered a “favorite of the sheriff,” the report said.
Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan reportedly raised the incident with Undersheriff Dan Perea and recommended a formal internal affairs investigation. Perea declined, allegedly asking whether the video could be withheld from the District Attorney, according to the Keker report. Professional Standards Bureau staff insisted the video “absolutely had to be turned over.”
Another case from mid-2023 involved a correctional officer who failed to report an officer for forcing incarcerated people to “dance in degrading and provocative ways,” according to the report. Although the officer was eventually investigated, Corpus never issued a disciplinary decision. That same officer allegedly got into a physical altercation with a civilian in August 2024, leading to a civil rights lawsuit. Nine months later, the report said, the investigation remained unresolved.
The Keker report also accuses Corpus of retaliating against staffers who have spoken out against her. Sgt. Jimmy Chan, a longtime department officer, appeared at a news conference supporting the Measure A campaign to remove the sheriff. He was on approved vacation at the time. Later that same day, he was informed of his transfer to a San Francisco International Airport post, which he considered unfavorable and damaging to his career. He was not given an opportunity to contest the move, the report said.
Corpus pushed back against those claims, describing them as “politically motivated and unsubstantiated.”
“At no point has anyone been disciplined or targeted for their support of Measure A,” she told this news organization, adding that efforts to portray accountability as retaliation are “not just disingenuous — it’s dangerous.”
She described the Keker report as “a recycling of misleading narratives” fueled by those loyal to the previous administration. “It builds on the biased Cordell report, offering no new factual evidence — just more speculation, hearsay, and retaliatory claims,” she said.
Corpus also defended her administration’s internal affairs practices, saying the report’s examples were “misleading and incomplete.” She maintained that “every concern brought to our attention has been investigated or appropriately addressed” in accordance with department policy. She said some incidents cited involved “trainees or evolving investigations” and were being selectively used to paint a false picture of dysfunction.
“Cherry-picking isolated incidents and ignoring context does not equate to a failed system — it equates to a biased agenda,” she said.
Despite the controversy, Corpus said her administration has delivered results: crime is down, recruitment is up, and operations have been modernized “despite coordinated resistance from a small group of malcontents clinging to the status quo.”
“I remain focused on delivering results, improving transparency, and ensuring the safety of all San Mateo County residents,” she said. “I was elected by the people, and I will continue to serve them with integrity, despite politically motivated efforts to undermine this office.”
Aenlle, in a statement to this news organization, dismissed the report and denied its allegations.
“The Keker report is nothing more than a continuation of the deeply flawed Cordell report,” Aenlle said. “It interviews many of the same individuals – many of whom have personal, political, or union-aligned agendas – and it presents no new factual evidence.”
Though the 59-page Keker report largely mirrors the findings of retired Judge LaDoris Cordell — whose county-commissioned report intensified calls for Corpus’ ouster — it includes more specific testimony, including named witnesses, and further documentation of alleged misconduct.
The county confirmed that Corpus has formally appealed the Board of Supervisors’ preliminary vote last month to remove her, triggering a hearing within 30 to 60 days. Retired Santa Clara County Judge James Emerson will serve as the hearing officer.
“The sheriff has requested a closed hearing,” county spokesperson Effie Milionis Verducci said. “We will be evaluating that request in light of recent developments.”
Corpus is also expected to appear in court July 15 to respond to the civil grand jury’s accusation of misconduct and retaliation.