Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched the EPIC City investigation Texas, and has issued a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) to Community Capital Partners, the real estate firm behind a proposed development linked to the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC). The action marks a formal escalation in an ongoing probe into whether the project violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA).

“This office has an open and ongoing investigation into a real estate development tied to the East Plano Islamic Center,” Paxton said in a statement. “Today’s action will help us determine whether Texas consumers have been misled or deceived.”

The CID seeks documents and information regarding EPIC City, a planned development near Josephine, Texas, that has drawn increasing scrutiny in recent weeks. Though marketing materials have described the project as being located in the “heart of Josephine,” city officials issued a clarification on February 24 stating that the development lies outside Josephine’s jurisdiction—not within the city limits, extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), or utility district.

 

 

Background: A Town Few Knew About

The EPIC City and EPIC Ranches developments went largely unnoticed by the general public until February 2025, when Governor Greg Abbott and State Representative Jeff Leach issued strong statements opposing the project.

In a February 24 post on social media, Governor Abbott stated:

“Sharia law is not allowed in Texas. Nor are Sharia cities. Nor are ‘no go zones,’ which this project seems to imply… The project as proposed in the video is not allowed in Texas.”

 

The following day, Rep. Jeff Leach sent a formal letter to Paxton requesting a legal review of the project, citing reports that it may seek to incorporate elements of Sharia law in its community framework—raising what he described as serious constitutional concerns.

Leach referenced House Bill 45, passed in 2017, which prohibits the enforcement of foreign legal codes—including religious law—that conflict with state or federal constitutions.

 

City Distances Itself

The City of Josephine responded with an official press release on the same day as Abbott’s post, seeking to correct what it called “misinformation” in EPIC’s marketing materials. City Administrator Lisa Palomba emphasized that Josephine has had no direct involvement with the project and that the development is instead located in unincorporated areas of Hunt and Collin Counties.

“The City of Josephine has not received or acted upon any requests related to EPIC City or EPIC Ranches,” the statement reads.

 

Who Is EPIC?

The East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) is a prominent mosque and community center in Plano, Texas, with a large and active congregation. According to its constitution and public materials, EPIC provides religious, educational, and social services in accordance with Sunni Islamic principles.

In recent years, EPIC has announced ambitions to expand its footprint through community-building efforts like EPIC City, which would reportedly include residential housing, a mosque, a school, and a cricket pitch.

In 2021, EPIC hosted events with CAIR-Texas, an advocacy group that has faced criticism from conservative circles due to its controversial designation as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation trial. While CAIR was never charged with a crime, its perceived association with extremist causes has made it a lightning rod in public discourse.

Religious Practice vs. Legal Structure

EPIC has made clear in its constitution that it abides by U.S. law and does not claim or exercise legal authority. Its decision to follow ISNA and the Fiqh Council of North America for determining the start and end of Ramadan is consistent with widespread religious practice, not a legal framework.

Nevertheless, the EPIC City proposal has generated concerns that the project might foster a parallel cultural or legal system—concerns that state officials have not taken lightly.

What Happens Next?

With the CID now issued, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division will begin a formal review of Community Capital Partners’ business practices, particularly around how the development was marketed to potential buyers.

No formal accusations of wrongdoing have yet been made, and EPIC has not released an official statement in response to the CID.

As the investigation unfolds, the case is likely to test the line between religious freedom, community self-governance, and state oversight—a balance that continues to evolve in a state as diverse as Texas.

Watch: EPIC City Land Signing Ceremony and Community Presentation below:

 

And, here is the EPIC promo video:

 

Floating Vimeo Video