Fort Bend County judge K P George, a prominent Indian-American elected official, was arrested Friday on two felony counts of money laundering stemming from allegations of wire fraud and falsification of a campaign finance report.
Mr George, a Democrat who has served as county judge since 2018 and won re-election in 2022, was booked into the county jail around 3:30 pm and released after posting $20,000 for bail. The charges carry a maximum prison term of 10 years.
He has denied any wrongdoing and claimed the indictments are politically driven.
According to court records and the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office, Mr George is accused of laundering between $30,000 and $150,000.
Officials confirmed the new charges are unrelated to a separate 2023 indictment in which Mr George and former chief of staff Taral Patel were accused of manufacturing fake racist attacks against Mr George's 2022 campaign by creating fraudulent social media accounts.
"These charges are unrelated to the pending misdemeanour," the DA's office said in a statement. "Our office remains committed to the integrity our public deserves and the ethics to which all prosecutors are sworn." In a statement Friday, Mr George denied any wrongdoing and claimed the indictments were politically driven. "I have full faith in the judicial system and will vigorously defend my innocence,”" he said, accusing the DA's office of "improper treatment".
The District Attorney's Office rejected the claim and emphasised the investigation had been conducted in accordance with legal and ethical standards.
The arrest has intensified political pressure on Mr George.
Fort Bend County Treasurer Bill Rickert publicly called for his resignation, citing concern over "fake racism scandals" and now the money laundering charges.
Former Precinct 4 Constable Trever Nehls, who challenged Mr George in 2022, echoed the sentiment, saying, "This indictment is not surprising. I saw during the campaign how lies and hate were used to manipulate voters." The charges against Mr George and Mr Patel have drawn widespread attention, particularly in Fort Bend, one of Texas's fastest-growing and most demographically diverse counties.
"An indictment like this, especially involving alleged financial misconduct, can severely erode public trust even before a trial," said Dr Elena Martinez, a political analyst at the University of Houston. "Given Fort Bend's national profile, this case is likely to draw attention well beyond the county line."
Mr George's office announced Thursday -- just a day before his arrest -- that the annual State of the County address, originally scheduled for May 8, had been postponed until further notice. No reason was given at the time.
The District Attorney's Office said the investigation remains ongoing.
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