Court records from Fort Bend County

Houston Democratic Candidate Charged with Felony for Allegedly Faking Racist Attacks

Jun 17, 2024, 02:39 AM

Fort Bend County commissioner candidate Patel, a Houston Democratic candidate and ex-Biden appointee, has been charged with a felony for allegedly faking racist social media attacks against himself. Authorities allege that Patel spent months sending a stream of racist and derogatory comments to himself, impersonating a supporter of incumbent Republican Commissioner Andy Meyers. Patel made racist posts about himself under the alias 'Antonio Scalywag' and then issued a press release claiming he was the victim of racist attacks. The case has drawn comparisons to the Jussie Smollett incident.