Kash Patel disclosed two alcohol-related arrests in his 2005 Florida Bar application, including a 2001 public intoxication charge at a college basketball game and a 2005 public urination arrest while walking home from bars with friends.

College Basketball Game Arrest

According to documents obtained by The Intercept through public records requests, Patel was arrested for public intoxication in 2001 while attending a Richmond athletics basketball game. The incident occurred after he consumed two alcoholic beverages before the game, despite being under 21 years of age. School officers initially told Patel his cheering was excessive during a timeout. After escorting him from the arena, officers arrested him for public intoxication. Patel founded the Student Athletic Club and described himself and his friends as devoted supporters of Richmond athletics.

Public Urination Incident

The second arrest happened in February or March 2005 after Patel and friends spent an evening celebrating at local bars. While walking home, the group attempted to relieve themselves publicly. A police cruiser stopped them before they could complete the act, and officers arrested the group for public urination. In his bar application letter titled Florida Supreme Court Bar Disclosure Statements, Patel acknowledged the incident as a gross deviation from appropriate conduct. The Intercept obtained these disclosure statements from the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office, where Patel worked after graduating from law school.

Verification Challenges

Snopes has not independently verified the 2005 arrest records, stating they could not obtain necessary documents by publication time. The fact-checking organization submitted public records requests to multiple agencies where Patel has worked, including the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office, the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Department of Justice, and the FBI. NBC News first reported on the arrests April 22, followed by The Intercept’s detailed report April 24. Patel’s spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Both incidents were part of Patel’s mandatory disclosure when applying for admission to the Florida Bar in 2005, the same year he completed law school.