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Elections Updated October 14, 2:00 am

Update, October 14. Updated October 14, 2:00 am Central with new reporting: 22 separate outlets now report this.

Ken Paxton attended Dubai New Year's party with men indicted on federal charges

Texas Attorney General and Senate candidate Ken Paxton attended a New Year's Eve party in Dubai on December 31, 2024, with two men who had been indicted on federal charges and had not yet returned to the United States to face prosecution. Campaign finance records show one of the men donated to Paxton's campaign.

Where
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
When
December 31, 2024
Sources
Reported by 25 outlets

Taxes and money

The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.

  • Campaign contribution$190,0002 3 4 Who pays or receives it: Anosh Ahmed
  • Campaign contribution$25,0002 3 Who pays or receives it: Anosh Ahmed

Does this affect you?

Who's involved

  • Ken PaxtonTexas attorney general and Senate candidate
  • Anosh AhmedMan indicted on federal charges
  • Sameer SuhailMan indicted on federal charges
  • Tracy DuhonPerson who attended the party with Paxton
  • James TalaricoDemocratic challenger to Paxton in Senate race
  • Nick MadduxPaxton's senior adviser

The facts

  • Paxton attended a New Year's Eve party in Dubai on December 31, 2024, with Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail.2 3 4 Stated by 3 sources
  • Ahmed and Suhail had been indicted months earlier on federal charges related to healthcare fraud.2 3 4 Stated by 3 sources
  • Neither Ahmed nor Suhail had returned to the United States at the time of the New Year's gathering.2 3 Stated by 2 sources
  • Ahmed was accused of stealing $15 million from a Chicago hospital where he served as chief financial officer.2 3 4 Stated by 3 sources
  • Ahmed was also charged in a separate fraud case involving at least $195 million in alleged government payments for bogus Covid-19 tests.2 3 Stated by 2 sources
  • Campaign finance records show Ahmed contributed $190,000 to Paxton, including a $25,000 donation made days after his indictment.2 3 Stated by 2 sources
  • Both Ahmed and Suhail have since returned to the United States to face prosecution.2 3 Stated by 2 sources

Who said what

These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.

  • Nick Maddux, Paxton's senior adviser Paxton has been politically persecuted for years and voters have sent him back to office.2 3

How they headlined it

The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.

  • Exclusive | Ken Paxton Partied in Dubai With Fugitives Ahead of High-Stakes Texas Senate Race

    WSJ

  • Ken Paxton Reportedly Partied in Dubai With Fugitives Wanted in U.S.

    Yahoo, Mediaite

  • Ken Paxton attended 2025 Dubai New Year’s party with US fugitives: Report

    Washington Examiner

  • Ken Paxton Caught on Video Partying in Dubai With Girlfriend and Two Federal Fugitives, One of Whom Donated $190K to Him

    International Business Times UK

  • Ken Paxton Caught on Video Partying in Dubai With…

    inkl

  • Ken Paxton Partied in Dubai With Fugitives Ahead of Texas Senate Race

    MishTalk

  • Republican Ken Paxton Caught on Video Partying in Dubai With Two US Fugitives Ahead of Senate Race

    inkl, International Business Times UK

  • Ken Paxton Attended Party in Dubai With Girlfriend and Two Fugitives

    Yahoo

Sources

Outlets: 2 left-leaning, 1 center, 1 right-leaning, 1 not rated Who's covering Texas →

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.

  1. Exclusive | Ken Paxton Partied in Dubai With Fugitives Ahead of High-Stakes Texas Senate Race WSJ Center, October 12, 2026
  2. Ken Paxton Reportedly Partied in Dubai With Fugitives Wanted in U.S. Yahoo Lean Left, October 12, 2026
  3. Ken Paxton Reportedly Partied in Dubai With Fugitives Wanted in U.S. Mediaite Lean Left, October 12, 2026
  4. Ken Paxton attended 2025 Dubai New Year’s party with US fugitives: Report Washington Examiner Lean Right, October 12, 2026
  5. Ken Paxton Caught on Video Partying in Dubai With Girlfriend and Two Federal Fugitives, One of Whom Donated $190K to Him International Business Times UK Not rated, October 13, 2026

Also reported by inkl, MishTalk, The Times of India, Forbes, The New Republic, Block Club Chicago, Chron, The Mirror US, KTSM 9 News, San Antonio Express-News, SILive.com, AL.com, The Independent, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, FOX 7 Austin, FOX 26 Houston, Boing Boing, Crain's Chicago Business, MS NOW, Modern Ghana, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fox News, FOX One, KXAN Austin, WION, uPolitics, Texarkana Gazette, azat.tv, CW39 Houston, The Jerusalem Post.

This sheet was written by AI from the sources above and adds nothing they don't state. Read the originals for full context.

Spot an error on this sheet?

All corrections and updates

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Reported by 5 outletsFound via Google News

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Reported by 5 outletsFound via Google News

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Reported by 2 outletsOnly right-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

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Reported by 4 outletsFound via Google News

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