A Wall Street Journal report said Ken Paxton partied with two US fugitives in Dubai.
The gathering took place on December 31, 2024, as fireworks welcomed 2025, and was attended by Paxton’s girlfriend, Tracy Duhon. Ahmed, a healthcare executive and businessman with interests in Texas, had donated $190,000 to Paxton, including $25,000, days after his indictment, according to campaign finance records cited by Journal. The men were indicted in federal court in Illinois in 2024 over allegations that they embezzled $15 million from a Chicago hospital where Ahmed had served as chief financial officer. Ahmed was charged in a separate, larger alleged scheme involving at least $195 million in fraudulent government payments for Covid-19 tests.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reportedly attended a lavish New Year’s Eve party in Dubai with two American men facing federal criminal charges in the United States, according to a bombshell report by The Wall Street Journal. The two men, Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail, had been indicted months earlier in a federal healthcare fraud case but had not returned to the US at the time of the party, the report said. His lawyers have said in court filings that he was outside the US when the first indictment was issued and that family health issues delayed his return. Suhail’s attorney said civil matters in Dubai had affected his ability to travel and that he returned voluntarily after those matters were resolved.
Both have since returned to the country to face the charges. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. Ahmed is currently in custody. The party has drawn renewed attention as Paxton, a Republican backed by President Donald Trump, campaigns for a US Senate seat against Democratic nominee James Talarico. The contest has brought fresh scrutiny of Paxton’s associations, travel and past legal controversies.