Fort Bend County Judge KP George is under intense scrutiny after being indicted on two third-degree felony charges for money laundering. Court documents reveal one charge explicitly related to wire fraud and another tied directly to tampering with campaign finance reports, suggesting prosecutors may have evidence of foul play beyond the lawful practice of campaign fund loans and repayments.
For context, Texas ethics rules permit candidates to loan money to their campaigns and later reimburse themselves, provided they follow strict reporting guidelines, but the presence of wire fraud and falsification allegations in court documents points to potentially serious financial misconduct that could invalidate Judge George’s defense.
According to court and jail records, Judge George is accused of laundering between $30,000 and $150,000 on two separate occasions between January and April 2019. In a statement released on April 4, 2025, George fired back, calling the charges a “political witch hunt.” He defended his actions, stating, “There is nothing illegal about loaning personal funds to my own campaign and later repaying that loan. This is a standard and lawful practice.”
In response to George’s public denial, the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office released its statement, clarifying the nature and origin of the charges. Officials emphasized that these felony indictments are separate from a misdemeanor charge filed last year, which accused George of misrepresenting his identity as a candidate. That earlier charge stemmed from an investigation into his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, and remains unresolved.
Adding to the controversy when considering the prior case involving Patel. During Judge George’s 2022 reelection campaign, Patel allegedly created a fake Facebook account to post racist comments directed at George in an apparent effort to generate sympathy by presenting him as the victim of a hate campaign. Patel now faces similar charges in his bid for county commissioner, suggesting a broader pattern of questionable campaign tactics within George’s political circle.
The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office released a statement about the discrepancy between the charges. They wrote, “The filed misdemeanor charge of Misrepresentation of Identity/Candidate against KP George last year, which is pending in County Court at Law No. 5. This came after an investigation into an associate of Mr. George was expanded to implicate George himself.”
Continuing the statement, the DA’s office noted that the misdemeanor charges are assigned to the 458th District Court. It said, “The investigation was ongoing, and that investigation has now led to two third-degree felony indictments for money laundering, which were made public today. These charges are unrelated to the pending misdemeanor and are assigned to the 458th District Court.”