AUSTIN, Texas — Nate Paul, a real estate developer embroiled in a significant impeachment trial involving Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, entered a guilty plea on Wednesday to a federal charge of providing false information to a financial institution.

The plea was presented to a U.S. magistrate judge, but it still requires approval from a district judge, according to court filings. The documents did not specify when Paul might face sentencing.

In 2019, Paul alleged that federal authorities behaved improperly during a raid on his residence in Austin. Following this incident, he approached Paxton for assistance, with their relationship becoming a focal point in the proceedings that led to the impeachment of Paxton, who was ultimately acquitted by the state Senate.

Paxton has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has not been implicated in any federal charges against Paul. The indictments against the developer state that he provided misleading statements to banks to secure over $170 million in loans.

On Wednesday, a request for a statement was sent to federal prosecutors, but there was no response. Paul’s attorney, Gerry Morris, declined to comment on the plea.

The articles of impeachment filed against Paxton included serious allegations of power abuse and bribery related to his actions on behalf of Paul, who had contributed $25,000 to the attorney general’s campaign in 2018.

The push for impeachment was initiated after eight of Paxton’s senior staff members reported him to the FBI in 2020, leading to their dismissal or resignation, and half of them subsequently filed lawsuits under the state’s whistleblower legislation.

Initially, Paul was confronted with multiple charges, including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud; however, court documents now indicate that he has only entered a plea for the single charge of lying to a financial institution.