A prominent Indian-origin Democrat, Fort Bend County judge KP George has been found guilty of money laundering as he stole from his donors by making two transfers of $46,500 from his campaign account to his personal account. His attorney, however, contested that it was not stealing but repayment. George was facing two felony charges of money laundering, and he was found guilty of the third-degree felony, which carries a sentence of two to 10 years behind bars.According to the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, George will not be removed until the trial is complete, which happens when he is sentenced. George can be removed from office then, but if he appeals his sentence, he could remain as a judge. However, the DA’s office may ask for a suspension.The defense countered that George loaned his own money to his campaign and later paid himself back, which his attorneys described as a common and lawful practice. His legal team also argued the case was politically motivated, claiming the district attorney’s office targeted George and then worked backward to find something to charge him with.This is not the first time George has had a brush with the law. In 2023, he was indicted along with her former chief of staff, Taral Patel, for manufacturing fake racist attacks against George’s 2022 campaign by creating fraudulent social media accounts.
Who is KP George ?
KP George is the first person of South Asian descent to serve as Fort Bend County Judge when he was elected to the post in 2019 and then re-elected in 2022. He was born in Kerala, India and later immigrated to the US in 1993 on a visa to work for a financial firm. After working for the financial firm for a number of years, he opened his own financial planning business. He and his wife Sheeba moved to Sugar Land, Texas, in 1999. KP has always been involved in the Indian-American community — the Sugar Land Rotary Club, the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce etc.
