Texas Republican Attorney General and Senate candidate Ken Paxton attended a New Year's Eve party in Dubai on December 31, 2024, with two men indicted on federal healthcare fraud charges who had not returned to the U.S. at that time. One of the indicted men had donated $190,000 to Paxton's campaign.
Where
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
When
December 31, 2024
Sources
Reported by 3 outlets
Taxes and money
The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.
Campaign donation$190,00012Who pays or receives it: Anosh Ahmed
Campaign donation$25,0001Who pays or receives it: Anosh Ahmed
Alleged theft from Chicago hospital$15 million12Who pays or receives it: Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail (accused)
Who's involved
Ken PaxtonTexas Republican Attorney General and Senate candidate
Anosh AhmedMan indicted on federal healthcare fraud charges
Sameer SuhailMan indicted on federal healthcare fraud charges
Tracy DuhonWoman who attended party with Paxton
James TalaricoDemocratic Senate candidate and Paxton's rival
The facts
Party held in luxury high-rise in Dubai on December 31, 2024.1
Two men at party had been indicted months earlier on federal healthcare fraud charges.12Stated by 2 sources
Ahmed and Suhail had not returned to the U.S. at the time of the party.12Stated by 2 sources
Ahmed is accused of embezzling funds from a Chicago hospital where he worked as CFO.1
Both Ahmed and Suhail have since returned to the U.S. to face prosecution.1
Wall Street Journal reported video footage of the celebration.12Stated by 2 sources
Report found no evidence linking Paxton to the alleged fraud or connecting donations to the case.1
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
James Talarico A party with multiple fugitives, and Ken Paxton is still the sketchiest guy in the room.2
Ken Paxton's senior adviser Nick Maddux Like President Donald Trump, Ken Paxton has been politically persecuted for years, and every time, voters have seen through it.1
Where the sources disagree
Connection between the $25,000 donation and timing of Ahmed's indictment Source [1] states the $25,000 check was sent 'just days after Ahmed was indicted'; source [1] also states 'the report found no evidence linking Paxton to the alleged fraud or connecting the donations to the criminal case.'
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Ken Paxton reportedly partied in Dubai with two US men indicted in $15M health care fraud case
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.
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