RICHMOND, Texas — Former Fort Bend County Judge KP George staffer Taral Patel testified Tuesday in George’s ongoing money laundering trial, describing his time as chief of staff from 2019 to 2021 as “disorganized” and chaotic.
Patel recounted difficulties with George’s management style, noting challenges with scheduling and coordinating meetings due to inconsistent email use. He also highlighted language barriers, as George was not fully proficient in English at the time. Toward the end of his tenure, Patel said some systems improved, though challenges with technology adaptation persisted.
Patel, a Democrat who previously ran unsuccessfully for Fort Bend County commissioner in 2024, pleaded guilty in 2025 to misrepresentation of identity by a candidate, a charge linked to the 2022 reelection campaign he worked on with George. George has faced separate allegations of creating fake racist attacks against his own campaign.
The money laundering charges against George stem from accusations that he used more than $46,000 in campaign funds to pay for a house down payment and property taxes. If convicted of the third-degree felony, George could face up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines, and would be removed from office.
George, first elected as a Democrat in 2018 and reelected in 2022, switched to the GOP following his indictments but failed to secure the Republican nomination in the March primary, placing last among five candidates with 8.4% of the vote.
Prosecutors rested their case Tuesday after presenting witness testimony, including insights from campaign finance auditor Betty Chi, who alleged discrepancies between George’s campaign finance reports and personal bank records, including unreported transfers of over $30,000 and $16,000. Chi argued that George used a “roll-forward” calculation to conceal these discrepancies.
George’s defense countered, claiming that imperfect reporting is not fraud, and challenged gaps in financial records predating his county office campaign. Lead attorney Jared Woodfill questioned whether Chi had sufficient information to conclude her opinion, citing missing records from George’s first campaign for county treasurer.
The defense began presenting witnesses Tuesday, marking the next stage in the trial scheduled to determine whether George misused campaign funds.
