Jury deliberates in KP George money laundering trial

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas - A Fort Bend County jury has ended Day 1 of deliberations in the money laundering case of County Judge KP George.

Judge KP George trial: Closing arguments

Big picture view:

Closing arguments wrapped on Thursday for the county judge's money laundering trial.

George did not testify during the trial.

Before arguments began, the judge reviewed the charge with the jury just before noon.

George has pleaded not guilty to the money laundering charge. Jurors were told that they could find him guilty of that third-degree charge or consider a lesser charge of a state jail felony.

The judge also walked jurors through the legal definitions of money laundering and the standards they must use during deliberations. 

Prosecutors: ‘Hold them accountable’

What they're saying:

During closing arguments, prosecutors told jurors it was their responsibility to hold George accountable for what they described as repeated misrepresentation of campaign finances.

Assistant District Attorney Katherine Peterson argued George "kept lying" in multiple campaign finance reports and used campaign funds for personal benefit.

Prosecutors pointed to:

• Campaign money allegedly transferred into personal accounts
• Purchases including car payments and other personal expenses
• Financial activity involving out-of-state transactions, including accounts tied to Delaware and communications linked to Massachusetts

The state also argued George opened a personal savings account after a 2019 fundraiser, suggesting he anticipated incoming campaign funds. Peterson referenced testimony from a Texas Ethics Commission representative, saying candidates are required to accurately report all financial activity over time.

Prosecutors dismissed claims the case is politically motivated and told jurors the evidence shows George took more money than he was entitled to and used campaign funds for personal expenses over several years.

Defense: ‘Incomplete picture’

The other side:

The defense pushed back, arguing the state’s case is built on incomplete records and incorrect assumptions.

Defense attorneys told jurors:

• The case represents government overreach, not criminal behavior
• There is no evidence George used illegal money
• The state failed to prove intent to commit fraud, which is required for conviction

They emphasized that under Texas Ethics Commission rules, candidates can legally loan money to their campaigns and repay themselves.

The defense also argued that:

• Key financial records from prior campaigns were never reviewed
• Investigators focused too narrowly on select reports instead of the full financial history
• Their election law expert, testified he has never seen a money laundering case based on campaign finance reports in nearly 40 years

Attorneys also challenged how certain transactions were categorized — especially credit card expenses — saying there was no way to determine whether they were personal or campaign-related without itemized records.

They argued that George did not try to hide money, pointing out funds were moved into accounts in his own name, not concealed.

The defense told jurors the investigation "left out critical information" and ultimately failed to prove a crime.

Rebuttal: ‘The records don’t lie'

In rebuttal, prosecutors pushed back on the defense’s claims, arguing the financial records clearly show discrepancies.

The state told jurors:

• George reported being owed about $3,000, but actually took thousands more
• Financial reporting rules require candidates to continue disclosing transactions over time
• Some missing information is due to time passing, but prosecutors argued George was aware of those gaps

Prosecutors also highlighted transactions they described as suspicious, including:

• Personal purchases
• Money sent to a bank in India
• Other financial activity they say was not properly reported

They argued their investigator conducted a more thorough review than the defense’s expert and again rejected claims of political motivation.

The state ended by asking jurors to find George guilty.