Fort Bend County Judge KP George Charged with Money Laundering

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – Fort Bend County Judge KP George was arrested on Friday and charged with two counts of money laundering, a third-degree felony. According to sources from KPRC 2 Investigates, George voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement and is currently held at the Fort Bend County Jail, with his bail set at $10,000.

The charges allege that George laundered between $30,000 and $150,000 in proceeds from criminal activities linked to wire fraud. Additionally, court records indicate he tampered with a government document, specifically a campaign finance report, intending to defraud.

George, who was elected to the County Judge position in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, has faced scrutiny since September 2024 when he was indicted on a misdemeanor charge related to misrepresentation of a candidate’s identity. This came after his former Chief of Staff, Taral Patel, was accused of creating fake social media accounts to impersonate individuals and post racially charged comments, purportedly to elicit sympathy for George’s campaign.

Following his recent arrest, George has alleged that he experienced inappropriate treatment during his booking process, claiming he was subject to an unnecessary hold by ICE, despite being a U.S. citizen. However, Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan contested George’s assertions, stating that standard procedure warrants verifying the immigration status of those not born U.S. citizens.

The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office commented on the case, affirming that the ongoing investigation has led to the current money laundering charges, stating, “These charges are unrelated to the pending misdemeanor and are assigned to the 458th District Court.” They pledged to uphold the integrity owed to the public and emphasized their continued investigation.

Fred Taylor, Chair of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party, expressed disappointment regarding George’s legal troubles, saying, “His actions have disappointed us and demonstrated a lack of good judgment.”

The fate of George hinges on the outcome of these felony charges, as a conviction would mandate his removal from office under Texas law. Previous allegations connected to George and Patel notably included claims of orchestrating racially charged incidents for political gain. As of Friday evening, George remains in custody awaiting further legal proceedings.

This story is still developing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.