Corruption Hotspot
Rio Grande Valley leads Texas in corruption convictions. The FBI established a dedicated Public Corruption Task Force in 2014 after 83 officials were convicted in a single year - the highest in the nation.
Systemic Pattern
School districts are major targets. HISD and La Joya ISD both had multiple trustees/administrators convicted in schemes totaling millions in fraud.
Law Enforcement
The Mission Police "Panama Unit" saw all 13 officers imprisoned for drug trafficking. In 21 years, 5 Rio Grande Valley sheriffs have been convicted of corruption.
Dallas Developer Schemes
Multiple Dallas city council members convicted for accepting bribes from real estate developers seeking zoning changes and tax breaks for housing projects.
Accountability Gap
Texas Rangers investigated 560+ corruption cases (2015-2020), but prosecutions targeted only low-level officials. No state legislators were convicted in state courts during this period.