Texas – Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico criticized Republican opponent Ken Paxton after a report revealed that the Texas attorney general celebrated New Year’s Eve in Dubai with his girlfriend and two men who had been indicted on federal healthcare fraud charges, one of whom donated $190,000 to Paxton’s campaign.
“A party with multiple fugitives and Ken Paxton is still the sketchiest guy in the room,” Talarico wrote in an October 13 post on X, responding to reporting by The Wall Street Journal about the gathering in Dubai at the end of 2024.
The Wall Street Journal reported that video footage showed Paxton standing on a balcony with his girlfriend, Tracy Duhon, and several other people as fireworks went off over Dubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper to welcome 2025. Among those present were Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail, two American businessmen who had been indicted in 2024 on federal charges related to an alleged healthcare fraud scheme.
The report has drawn renewed attention to Paxton’s financial connections and personal associations as he campaigns for a seat in the U.S. Senate against Talarico.
According to The Independent, Ahmed and Suhail had been indicted in federal court in Illinois over allegations that they embezzled approximately $15 million from a Chicago hospital where Ahmed had served as chief financial officer. At the time of the Dubai gathering, the two men had not returned to the United States to face the charges. Both have since returned to the country, with Ahmed in custody, according to the newspaper’s October 13 report.
Ahmed’s financial contributions to Paxton have also become a central part of the controversy.
Campaign finance records cited by The Wall Street Journal show that Ahmed donated approximately $190,000 to Paxton, including a $25,000 contribution made just days after Ahmed’s indictment, according to the Houston Chronicle. The report did not establish that Paxton participated in any criminal activity involving Ahmed or Suhail.
The two men faced separate legal allegations connected to healthcare fraud, per reports. The charges against them concerned an alleged scheme involving the hospital, while Ahmed was also linked to a broader alleged fraud scheme involving government payments for COVID-19 testing. Ahmed has pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to the reporting.
CNN also covered the findings on October 13, interviewing Wall Street Journal reporter Elizabeth Findell about the video and Ahmed’s campaign contributions. Findell said the footage showed Suhail standing close to Paxton and Duhon as they watched the fireworks, while Ahmed’s donations raised questions about the relationship between the men and the Texas attorney general.
Paxton’s campaign did not directly address the details of the Dubai gathering in its response to The Wall Street Journal. Senior adviser Nick Maddux defended the attorney general, saying, “Like President Trump, Ken Paxton has been politically persecuted for years, and every time, voters have seen through it and sent him back to office because they know he has always fought for Texas.”
The Dubai report adds to the scrutiny Paxton has faced during his political career, including his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House over allegations of misconduct and corruption. The Texas Senate acquitted him, allowing him to remain in office. Paxton has denied wrongdoing in previous controversies.
His personal life has also attracted attention. His wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce in 2025, citing adultery, according to The Independent.
Talarico has repeatedly criticized Paxton over his conduct, travel and political record as the two compete for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas. His latest post turned the Dubai footage and the reported presence of the two men into another attack on his Republican opponent, questioning Paxton’s judgment and associations as the Senate campaign continues.
The allegations against Ahmed and Suhail remain distinct from the political controversy surrounding Paxton’s presence at the gathering. The reporting has documented their attendance and Ahmed’s campaign contributions, but it has not established that Paxton was involved in the alleged healthcare fraud.
