Timothy France Johnson, 63, the brother of El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for running a Ponzi scheme involving NBA preseason games. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and monetary transaction charges.
The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.
Restitution ordered$3,148,094.4812Who pays or receives it: Timothy France Johnson
Coming up
Thursday, November 19, 2026. Restitution hearing12
Who's involved
Timothy France Johnsondefendant; El Paso mayor's brother
Mayor Renard JohnsonEl Paso mayor; defendant's brother
U.S. Attorney SimmonsU.S. Attorney
Aida ReyesFBI El Paso Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge
The facts
Johnson ran the scheme for 11 years, fabricating contracts and financial statements.12Stated by 2 sources
He told investors money would promote NBA preseason games but used it for other purposes.12Stated by 2 sources
Johnson pleaded guilty to seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of monetary transactions in March.12Stated by 2 sources
He was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison.12Stated by 2 sources
A restitution hearing is scheduled for Nov. 19.12Stated by 2 sources
Johnson was charged in April 2024.12Stated by 2 sources
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
U.S. Attorney Simmons Johnson's scheme was complex; he convinced investors to entrust thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.12
FBI El Paso Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Aida Reyes The case shows those who exploit trust for financial gain will be investigated and held accountable.12
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
El Paso mayor’s brother sentenced to over 4 years in prison for NBA Ponzi scheme
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
The Port of Galveston announced it has received federal grants totaling $1.18 million from FEMA's Port Security Grant Program for security enhancements, including video surveillance, cybersecurity updates, smart padlocks, and a mobile vehicle barrier system. The port is contributing its own funds toward the projects.
$$393,750 for FEMA grant for video surveillance expansion (federal share)
FEMA, federal agency awarding grants; Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO; Port of Galveston, recipient of security grants
The Trump administration and Texas urged the U.S. Supreme Court to leave in place a consent agreement eliminating a Biden-era regulation that allowed immigration judges to suspend some deportation proceedings. Three cities and an immigrant legal services group sought to join the case and challenged the agreement's validity.
Trump administration, urging Supreme Court to uphold agreement; Texas, urging Supreme Court to uphold agreement; D. John Sauer, U.S. Solicitor General arguing for Trump administration and 5 more
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled 10-7 that immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally do not have a constitutional right to bond hearings while in deportation proceedings, even if they have lived in the country for years and have American citizen children.
5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Court that issued the ruling; Judge Cory Wilson, Trump-appointed judge who wrote the majority opinion; Judge Andrew Oldham, Judge who wrote concurring opinion and 3 more
President Donald Trump signed the Mystic Alerts Act into law on October 22, 2026. The federal law requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish policies allowing cellphone carriers to send National Weather Service warnings via satellite when cell service is unavailable. The law responds to July 2025 flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country that killed more than 100 people.
Donald Trump, President who signed the act; August Pfluger, U.S. Rep., Texas Republican, sponsored the legislation; John Cornyn, Texas Republican Senator and 1 more
Rep. Keith Self (R-TX-3) introduced H.R. 10896 to terminate the diversity immigrant visa program. The bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Keith Self, U.S. Representative for Texas District 3
Federal prosecutors announced indictments against Fort Bend County Tax Assessor-Collector Carmen Turner, accusing her of theft of government funds and wire fraud. Turner, a Democrat who has served since 2021, was arrested Thursday. Two other people were also indicted in connection with the case.
$more than $27,000 for County funds paid to employees over eight months
Carmen Turner, Fort Bend County Tax Assessor-Collector; Shermerrylyn Regina Fields, Indicted defendant; Victor Calvin Ewing, Indicted defendant and 2 more
Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher, was released from Russian prison after more than four years of detention and arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio following President Trump's personal request to Russian President Putin.
Stephen Hubbard, Retired teacher; detained American released from Russian prison; President Donald Trump, Requested Hubbard's release from Putin; President Vladimir Putin, Russian president who agreed to release Hubbard and 2 more
The small Texas town of Ingram signed an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Patrol officer Jaron Alexander conducted traffic stops and turned over individuals to immigration agents, affecting residents including his repeated interactions with a woman named Joanna Martinez.
Jaron Alexander, Ingram patrol officer; Joanna Martinez, Ingram resident; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal immigration agency and 1 more