Ken Paxton reportedly partied in Dubai with two US men indicted in $15M health care fraud case

WASHINGTON, DC: Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton rang in New Year’s Eve in Dubai, celebrating the night with two American men who were under federal indictment back home.

The Wall Street Journal broke the story, describing a party held in a luxury high-rise with a direct view of the Burj Khalifa on December 31, 2024.

With Paxton’s campaign already under scrutiny, the Dubai gathering has stirred further controversy as he faces Democratic challenger James Talarico.

Ken Paxton’s Dubai party with indicted men

Paxton attended the extravagant event with Tracy Duhon, identified in the report as his extramarital girlfriend.

He was also joined by Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail, both of whom had been indicted a few months earlier on federal health care fraud charges.

Prosecutors accused the two men of stealing $15 million from a Chicago hospital. Meanwhile, campaign finance records revealed that Ahmed had donated $190,000 to Paxton, including a $25,000 check sent just days after Ahmed was indicted.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Paxton and Duhon watched the midnight fireworks with other guests at the luxury gathering in Dubai.

The newspaper reviewed footage of the celebration that later circulated on social media. At the time, Ahmed and Suhail had not yet returned to the US to face the charges against them.

Ahmed is accused of embezzling funds from the Chicago hospital where he worked as chief financial officer.

Paxton is also at the center of a much larger fraud investigation involving at least $195 million in alleged government payments for fake Covid-19 tests.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and, according to Mediaite, remains in custody.

Both Suhail and Ahmed have since returned to the US to face prosecution. Their appearance at the Dubai party drew attention because they were already under federal indictment when they celebrated New Year’s Eve with Paxton.

However, the report found no evidence linking Paxton to the alleged fraud or connecting the donations to the criminal case.

Paxton adviser defends Senate campaign amid controversy

Paxton’s senior adviser, Nick Maddux, did not directly address questions about the Dubai gathering, instead defending the candidate’s record.

“Like President [Donald] 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,” Maddux told WSJ.

Paxton’s Senate campaign faces renewed controversy as he seeks to advance his political career and challenge Talarico, his Democratic opponent.

The report adds to the scrutiny surrounding Paxton’s personal life and relationships, bringing those questions further into the campaign debate.

As Texas attorney general, Paxton is seeking the Republican nomination for the US Senate.

The report focuses on his trip to the Dubai event and his financial ties to Ahmed, who was under federal indictment. However, it does not allege that Paxton was charged with or involved in the fraud itself.