Indian-American judge indicted for creating fake racist attacks on social media to get reelected

Houston, Sep 27 (PTI) Fort Bend County Judge KP George was on Thursday evening booked into jail following his indictment by a grand jury for misrepresenting himself online to influence the outcome of his election.

According to Fort Bend County judicial records, George was booked at 7.17 p.m. on a misdemeanour charge connected to a social media scheme aimed at swaying voters. His bond was set at USD 1,000.

A statement from his office said George was released from jail on a personal recognizance (PR) bond, meaning he was released without paying bail by signing a written agreement to appear in court as scheduled and comply with any conditions of his release.

The allegations have sparked increased calls for George’s resignation.

he has however made it clear that he does not intend to step down.

Earlier on Thursday, the grand jury indicted George on a Class A misdemeanour after he was alleged to have coordinated online imposture with his former chief of staff, Taral Patel.

Patel was arrested in June on felony charges of online misrepresentation for his involvement in the scheme.

During his successful re-election campaign in 2022, George claimed he was a victim of “racist and xenophobic” attacks.

However, accusations have surfaced alleging that he collaborated with Patel to create targeted posts to generate sympathy and support.

Sources said one of the accounts used for these posts operated under the screen name “Antonio Scalywag”.

The indictment alleges that George utilised a fake Facebook account to post racist comments aimed at damaging his opponent Trever Nehls during the November 2022 election.

George, a Democrat, was seeking re-election against Republican Nehls.

Misrepresentation of identity in this context is classified as a Class A misdemeanour and carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a USD 4,000 fine.

The investigation by Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton involved obtaining a search warrant for George’s electronic devices after investigators found connections between him and the false posts. The warrant was executed at George's home following his return from a trip to India.

Patel has also been indicted on multiple counts of online impersonation linked to the same case.

Patel allegedly created fake profiles to attack himself and George online in a bid to garner sympathy. He faces four felony counts and several misdemeanour counts. PTI