Judge KP George money laundering trial: State rests, dispute over witness

FORT BEND COUNTY, Yexas - We are in day four of the money laundering trial of current Fort Bend County Judge KP George and the state has rested their case.

There were some tense moments in the courtroom on Tuesday after a dispute between both sides because of a final witness who was called to the stand.

Day 4 highlights

Prosecutors planned to call a Houston Police Department officer to testify about social media posts made by George during the primaries. The officer, who works in HPD’s vehicular homicide division, was expected to translate audio from a video tied to the case because he speaks the language spoken in the video. 

However, both sides approached the bench and argued over whether the witness could testify as a translator. The state said the officer would serve only as an interpreter, not an expert, but the defense pushed back, calling it an unfair surprise and accusing prosecutors of "ambushing" them without proper notice.

The judge ultimately ruled against allowing the witness to testify, noting that any translated material must be provided in writing at least 45 days in advance. Prosecutors acknowledged they had the video for about two weeks but had not submitted a written translation, but they called around outside of Fort Bend and Harris County to try to find someone who spoke the language. 

The judge emphasized that any translation must be presented word-for-word and come from an unbiased interpreter.

At one point, the judge expressed frustration with both sides, urging attorneys to stop arguing and maintain professionalism.

After the ruling, attorneys briefly met in a witness room to review the audio recording, in which George is heard discussing campaign finances — including statements about loaning himself more than $70,000 and raising more than $40,000.

Following the dispute, the state rested its case. The defense then moved for a directed verdict, arguing the state failed to prove charges of wire fraud and tampering with government records beyond a reasonable doubt.

Defense attorneys argued multiple witnesses testified that George was allowed to loan himself money from his campaign and later repay it, citing guidance tied to the Texas Ethics Commission. They also argued there was no evidence that any of the money involved was illegally obtained and said the state failed to meet the legal standard for money laundering.

Prosecutors pushed back, arguing they presented sufficient evidence through multiple witnesses, including testimony about George soliciting donations. The state also argued that money laundering charges do not require the funds to be illegal at the outset.

The judge recessed court to consider the defense’s motion. A ruling is expected when proceedings resume.

After lunch, court resumed late Tuesday morning in the trial of Fort Bend County Judge KP George, with the judge denying a defense motion for a directed verdict — allowing the case to proceed.

Following that ruling, the defense began presenting its case, starting with testimony from Terrell Patel, George’s former chief of staff during his first year in office.

Terrell Patel takes the stand

Before Patel took the stand, attorneys argued over whether the defense could introduce a recorded phone call between Patel and Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton. Defense attorneys suggested the call could support their argument that the case is politically motivated. Prosecutors pushed back, arguing the case centers on the charges against George — not outside political dynamics.

After reviewing the issue, the judge allowed Patel to testify but restricted any discussion about that phone call or related claims, keeping the focus on the charges in the current case.

During his testimony, Patel outlined his working relationship with George across multiple campaigns and into his time in office. He described his role as helping manage communication, scheduling, and administrative functions, including assisting with language translation and day-to-day coordination.

Patel characterized George as disorganized in areas including finances and scheduling, and said he often had to help facilitate processes and communication within the office.

The court also addressed Patel’s pending misdemeanor case tied to social media activity connected to the campaign. The judge made clear that if those issues were raised, it could open the door to additional questioning by the state — raising concerns about potential complications in the trial. Patel’s attorney indicated he would assert his rights if asked about unrelated matters.

Prosecutors ultimately declined to cross-examine Patel.

Election Law Attorney Andy Taylor called to testify

After a brief recess, the defense called election law attorney Andy Taylor to testify outside the presence of the jury as the court considered whether he would be allowed to testify as an expert.

Taylor outlined decades of experience in election law and campaign finance, including work with the TEC (Texas Ethics Commission) and advising political candidates and campaigns. He told the court he reviewed George’s campaign finance reports and bank records and would offer insight into how campaign finance compliance is typically handled.

During questioning, prosecutors challenged aspects of Taylor’s qualifications and requested additional background information. Taylor expressed hesitation in providing certain details, citing concerns about how that information could be used in determining whether he would be allowed to testify.

The judge had not yet made a final ruling on whether Taylor will be permitted to testify before the jury.

The trial is expected to continue as the defense builds its case.

Previous days in court

In court on Monday, a JPMorgan Chase engineer testified and claimed records showed about $30,000 wired from a Delaware company tied to campaign account activity.

Betty CHi, a CPA and fraud examiner with the Fort Bend County DA’s Economic Crimes Division also testified on Monday. She stated that they began reviewing George's finances in 2024 and found out four homes had been purchased after 2019, including one paid off by 2021. It raised questions about how the homes were financed as George's reported income was his nearly $150,000 salary plus his wife's teacher income.

According to Chi, two transfers from the campaign account went into personal accounts. The amount of money transferred was $30,000 and $16,500.

She testified more than 37 payments went to credit cards and household expenses, including groceries, utilities, and other personal costs, with about $27,000 paying down personal credit card debt.

Money laundering accusations

The backstory:

Court documents from prosecutors allege George lied under oath about how much money he had in his campaign account. They go on to claim he transferred money from his campaign account to his personal account.

Records go on to allege George engaged in a scheme to defraud campaign donors and obtain money using fraudulent pretenses. Prosecutors allege he accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he used to personally enrich himself.

Crime and Public SafetyFort Bend County