Retired Police Lieutenant Warns: Texas’ EPIC City Is Phase Two of Sharia Enclave That’s Operated for 12 Years

Retired Lieutenant Douglas Deaton exposed a disturbing reality: EPIC’s Sharia-controlled enclave in Plano isn’t some future vision—it already exists. For nearly 12 years, EPIC has operated a religiously exclusive neighborhood comprising 74 homes, a sprawling mosque, Islamic schools, a medical clinic, and Sharia-compliant financial services. Most alarming, the enclave includes a fortress-like residence constructed directly beside the Plano Police Academy—strategically positioned to overlook restricted law enforcement areas and tactical assets. They haven’t been hiding—they’ve been operating in plain sight. And no one stopped them.

The East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) is, to put it mildly, a controversial Islamic mega-mosque based in Plano, Texas. It is widely known for its radical resident scholar, Yasir Qadhi, and its aggressive expansion across North Texas.

What began as a modest community mosque has transformed into a 76,000-square-foot Islamic complex, making it one of the largest in Texas. Its main prayer hall alone spans 33,000 square feet and can accommodate over 3,200 worshippers. The sprawling campus also includes an entire Islamic school, a multi-purpose hall, youth indoctrination spaces, and Sharia-compliant classrooms—all designed to reinforce Islamic norms and community control.

Over the years, EPIC has built significant political and financial influence, positioning itself as far more than just a mosque. It has become a hub for ideological control and community structuring, using its infrastructure to advance Sharia-based systems within a Western civic framework.

Now, EPIC is under intense public scrutiny for its latest and most ambitious project: the construction of EPIC City—a massive, Sharia-adherent residential and commercial enclave being developed nearly 40 minutes from its current Plano headquarters.

EPIC City is not just a housing development. It is a deliberate blueprint for a self-contained Islamic community, built around Sharia principles and insulated from public oversight. The 402-acre project will include over 1,000 homes, a mega-mosque, an Islamic school, retail centers, and senior housing—all structured to function within an Islamic legal and social framework.

The announcement of EPIC City triggered massive public outrage, fueled in part by a series of hard-hitting investigations by RAIR Foundation USA. RAIR also exposed EPIC’s long-term strategy to replicate the insular, Sharia-compliant enclave it has quietly organized in Plano over the past decade—only this time, on a much larger and more secluded scale. In response to mounting public pressure and questions over multiple potential legal violations, Texas state officials have launched multiple investigations into EPIC City and its shadowy developers.

At a public hearing held Monday by the Collin County Commissioners Court to address the growing backlash, Retired Lieutenant Douglas Deaton—a 26-year veteran of the Plano Police Department and a recognized expert in SWAT tactics and urban threat analysis—confirmed what many residents had long feared. In explosive testimony, Lt. (Ret.) Deaton warned that EPIC City is not a new idea at all, but rather a larger replication of the Sharia-aligned enclave already operating for years around EPIC’s mega-mosque in Plano. Now the head of RDR Investigations & Crisis Management—a licensed private investigation and consulting firm—Deaton spoke with the authority of both firsthand experience and ongoing professional expertise.

“There seems to be a general misunderstanding that we’re talking about a plan to build an Islamic Sharia-friendly community,” Lt. (Ret.) Deaton said. “The EPIC neighborhood already exists in Plano. It’s been there for nearly 12 years.”

Lt. (Ret.) Deaton explained that the new 402-acre project—located just 30 minutes from downtown Dallas and branded as a “faith-friendly master-planned community”—is simply a scaled-up version of what EPIC has already built in Plano: a closed, religiously exclusive neighborhood anchored by a mosque, Islamic school, medical clinic, commercial businesses, and Sharia-based financial institutions.

EPIC City, he warned, is designed to take that model and amplify it—creating a much larger, autonomous Islamic enclave operating far outside traditional civic accountability.

The project’s financial and operational structure is controlled by Community Capital Partners, a for-profit investment group formed by EPIC leadership. Public statements from those behind the project have emphasized selective sales practices and religious alignment, prompting serious legal and ethical concerns over compliance with Fair Housing laws and Texas anti-BDS statutes.

Watch the jaw-dropping testimony from Retired Lieutenant Douglas Deaton—what he reveals about EPIC City will alarm every Texan

A Parallel Community with Religious Gatekeeping

According to Lt. (Ret.) Deaton, the existing enclave in Plano surrounding the EPIC mosque includes 74 homes, a large mosque, Islamic schools (here and here), a medical clinic, and businesses—all within a neighborhood where only Muslims who are members of EPIC are allowed to purchase homes. He stated that he knew this firsthand: “I dealt with them regularly when I worked for the Plano Police Department.”

He testified that this policy is widely known among local officials and police, yet no action has been taken to investigate whether this violates federal Fair Housing laws, which prohibit religious discrimination in housing.

Lt. (Ret.) Deaton described the financing arm present in the Plano neighborhood—UIF Corporation, a Michigan-based financial firm with a branch on site—stating that it engages exclusively in Sharia-compliant transactions. According to the company’s own public statements, its business model is based on avoiding traditional interest-bearing loans, in favor of Islamic financial instruments that comply with Sharia.

“The UIF Corporation is not a bank. It’s a Michigan-based corporation whose publicly stated purpose is to, quote, ‘engage in financial transactions that are Sharia compliant,’” Lt. (Ret.) Deaton said, emphasizing that these are the company’s own words, not his.

In a detailed Facebook post following his testimony, Deaton elaborated that the UIF office actually predates the mosque’s construction. The building remains visible on Google Street View (October 2018), confirming the deep-rooted nature of EPIC’s Islamic financial network.

Sharia finance is not just about avoiding interest—it is about imposing a religious legal system. Under Islamic law, interest (riba) is forbidden, and all financial transactions must comply with Sharia’s religious code. This means that every contract, loan, or business deal must align with Islamic values and restrictions—including prohibitions on alcohol, pork, gambling, and even investments in conventional Western banks. In effect, Sharia-compliant finance is the economic arm of Islamic governance, enforcing religious laws in everyday commerce and quietly building parallel systems that reject core principles of Western secularism, such as equal treatment under one uniform legal code.

According to UIF’s own website, the company’s operations are overseen by a Sharia Supervisory Board tasked with ensuring compliance with Islamic law. Their fatawa (legal rulings) and financial practices are publicly outlined on their Sharia compliance page, which states:

Embrace Sharia Compliance: Approved Faith-Based Financing Programs. Our products strictly adhere to faith-based financing principles, receiving full approval from our independent Sharia Supervisory Board.

As of April 2024, Google Street View shows that the back door of the same office now bears the emblem of a new occupant: Al-Ihsan Foundation USA, a registered 501(c)(3) Islamic charity.

The Al-Ihsan Foundation USA states that it is focused on humanitarian aid, including sending support to Gaza and the families of “martyred” Palestinians—a term often used in jihadist propaganda to describe those killed in acts of violence against Israel.

 

 

The overlapping use of the building—first by UIF Corporation and now by Al-Ihsan—raises further questions about the nature of the institutions operating within EPIC’s Sharia-enclave. Together, they represent not just residential or religious exclusivity, but a complete infrastructure of Islamic Sharia finance, ideological influence, and foreign aid operations—all centered within the Plano neighborhood and now poised to expand dramatically through EPIC City.

Surveillance Allegations and Strategic Placement Near Police Facilities

One of the most alarming aspects of Deaton’s testimony involved what he described as the strategic location and design of the first home built in the EPIC neighborhood. According to Deaton, this house was no ordinary residence—it was positioned with a clear view of some of the Plano Police Department’s most sensitive tactical assets.

“The rear of the property is just a few feet from a large outdoor warning siren,” Deaton said. “The house has a large second-story platform overlooking the restricted access parking lot where the police department stored specialized vehicles such as bomb trucks, bomb disposal equipment, and the SWAT team’s armored vehicle.”

He told commissioners that from a tactical perspective, the home bore all the features of a fortified command post or surveillance platform, specifically designed to monitor law enforcement operations.

“That house has all the hallmarks of a fortress and a command post,” Deaton said. “The rear of the house looks a lot like an observation post and a shooting platform.”

Following his public testimony, Deaton expanded on these concerns in a detailed public statement, naming the property and its original owner.

The home in question is located at on Bravura Drive, built in 2013. Public records show it is a 6,955-square-foot structure with two separate front doors—an unusual architectural feature. Despite being situated in what Deaton calls “one of the least desirable lots in the neighborhood,” the property was constructed as one of the largest and most expensive homes in the enclave, estimated at over $1.3 million.

📎 Google Street View – Front of house

What makes the location so peculiar is that the rear of the home directly faces the Plano Police Academy’s restricted emergency services parking area, including the bomb squad’s total containment vessel, the SWAT team’s Lenco Bearcat armored vehicle, and the department’s pursuit training pad. The second-story balcony appears intentionally positioned to overlook this exact zone.

📎 Back of house (Oct 2018 view)

 

📎 SWAT vehicles parked (May 2024)

 

Deaton questioned the decision:

“With so many vacant lots available, why would someone choose to build a house so close to a giant warning siren and a police pursuit training site? Why have a massive balcony overlooking all those specialized emergency vehicles and the police academy? Why would you build your new home in the one place that would ensure your daily life was disturbed every time the bomb or SWAT team was called out?”

Below is a satellite map dated October 18, 2013, showing the East Plano Islamic Center construction site in Plano. The labeled legend identifies nearby facilities, including:

• Mosque build site (H)
• Islamic finance company (G)
• Police Academy (E)
• Police shooting ranges (F)
• SWAT & Bomb Team vehicles (B)
• Controlled access parking lot (C)
• Pursuit driving pad (D)
• Surrounding streets and properties, including 1216 Bravura Drive (A)

The map provides context for the EPIC mosque’s location—adjacent to law enforcement training facilities and a police shooting range—highlighting the early stages of mosque construction and nearby infrastructure.

 

 

The original owner of the home is listed in public records as Junaid Din, a key figure within the EPIC community and co-founder of the highly controversial Irving, Texas-based Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. This organization openly promotes the integration of Sharia into Western societies. “I urge everyone to visit their website and read what it has to say about instituting Sharia,” he stated.

Din has been featured as a prominent fundraiser for EPIC, and his leadership role ties directly into the ideological infrastructure surrounding both the Plano enclave and the EPIC City expansion.

📎 Junaid Din bio – Yaqeen Institut

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📎 EPIC fundraiser video (2017) – Featuring Junaid Din

 

Deaton emphasized that this is not about speculation, but about observable, verifiable facts. “This is not a matter of radicals hiding in plain sight,” he warned. “They’re not hiding. They’ve been open about their beliefs and their intent.”

Silence from Local Officials

Despite Deaton’s explosive revelations, local and state officials have remained largely silent about the Plano EPIC enclave, which has been in existence since 2013, raising urgent questions about whether public institutions willfully ignore evidence to avoid political backlash.

Deaton emphasized that despite the visibility of these developments, no local authorities have publicly questioned the religious exclusivity or ideological goals of the Plano neighborhood, nor the security risks of locating a Sharia-enclave directly next to police tactical infrastructure.

“Local government decision-makers have failed to ask hard questions for fear of negative publicity and being labeled as bigots,” Deaton said.

“I’m not here to spread innuendo or to make unfounded accusations. I’m asking everyone to simply look at the evidence and the confirmed facts that are already in existence.”

Of note, in a detailed follow-up statement posted to Facebook, the Retired Lieutenant warned that even his explosive public testimony only scratched the surface. He made clear:

“It won’t address EPIC’s confirmed ties to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) or other entities known to support Hamas. It will not cover the extreme statements and ideologies of EPIC’s resident scholar, Dr. Yasir Qadhi.”

This revelation should further alarm the public—and expose just how deep the threat runs. The failure of officials to even question EPIC’s ties to radical Islamic organizations and individuals who support Sharia supremacy—and who have ties to Hamas-linked organizations—is not just negligence. It is a dereliction of civic duty.

These dangerous affiliations raise the stakes far beyond zoning violations or housing discrimination. They demand full federal scrutiny.

EPIC City Under Active State Investigations

The EPIC City project is currently under investigation by multiple Texas state agencies following growing concerns about its financial structure, land use practices, and public representations made to potential investors and residents.

In recent weeks:

• Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to launch a criminal investigation into the EPIC City development and its affiliated entities.
• Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office opened an inquiry into potential violations of consumer protection and anti-discrimination laws.
• The Texas State Securities Board is investigating Community Capital Partners—the developer behind EPIC City—for possible violations of state and federal securities laws, including questions surrounding fundraising and investment offerings.

These investigations are ongoing, and state officials have not yet issued formal findings. However, the involvement of law enforcement, securities regulators, and the Attorney General’s office signals significant concern at the highest levels of Texas government.

EPIC City Developers Lawyer Up – and Attempt to Silence Critics

As public outrage intensifies and multiple Texas agencies launch formal investigations into EPIC City, the developers behind the Sharia-based project have responded—not with transparency, but with lawfare.

In a high-profile move, EPIC and its development arm, Community Capital Partners (CCP) have hired prominent criminal defense attorney Dan Cogdell to represent them. Cogdell is best known for defending Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton—the very official now investigating EPIC City. His appointment raises serious ethical questions and potential conflict of interest concerns, as Cogdell now stands on the opposite side of an office he worked closely with just months ago.

Cogdell’s involvement suggests a calculated effort by EPIC and CCP to use insider political connections to deflect scrutiny and intimidate critics—not to answer legitimate public concerns.

Despite overwhelming evidence compiled by RAIR Foundation, veteran law enforcement officer Douglas Deaton, and EPIC leaders’ own public statements and actions, Cogdell claimed:

“With EPIC, no one associated with that community follows Sharia law, or is in favor of Sharia law, or is implementing Sharia law.”

This blatant denial is not only false—it is demonstrably untrue based on those associated with the project’s own statements and actions.

It also reveals how dangerously uninformed many in the West remain about Islamic doctrine, Sharia (Islamic law), and the ideological framework under which EPIC operates. Whether intentional or not, such statements reflect a broader failure to recognize that this is not just about faith—it’s about an organized system of religious governance being advanced under the guise of religious liberty. This kind of denial gives unearned legitimacy to a project designed to build a parallel legal structure rooted in Sharia.

In addition to hiring Cogdell, EPIC and CCP brought on the Dallas-based public relations firm Allyn Media—whose representatives, Erin Ragsdale, much like their legal counsel, parroted talking points with no grasp of Islamic law or EPIC’s track record, even as Deaton laid out damning facts before the commissioners.

RAIR Foundation USA, local whistleblowers, and EPIC’s own public statements have already thoroughly documented the evidence:

• EPIC Is led by Yasir Qadhi, a senior member of the Fiqh Council of North America, whose official mission is “to provide guidance to the Muslims of North America in all matters related to Shari‘ah.” Does Cogdell realize that “Fiqh” is the process of deriving and interpreting Islamic law (Sharia)?
• Mandates Sharia-compliant hijab for all girls attending EPIC’s Islamic schools, with strict dress codes based on Islamic modesty laws.
• Enforces gender segregation during prayer and events inside its mosque, in full alignment with Islamic legal rulings on male and female separation.
• Requires women to remain fully Sharia-compliant while inside the mosque, including adherence to rules regarding public speech, seating, dress, and body covering.
• Hosts Sharia-compliant funerals and burial services, excluding women from many aspects of the ceremonies—standard in Islamic jurisprudence.
• Promotes Islamic finance through UIF Corporation, which operates on-site and only offers loans and investments compliant with Sharia principles. Their own website confirms oversight by a Sharia Supervisory Board.
• Mandates Sharia compliance in daily life through EPIC’s public lectures, khutbahs (sermons), and community rules on food, behavior, marriage, and lifestyle.
• Restricts property sales in the EPIC neighborhood—according to Deaton, homes are only sold to Muslims affiliated with the mosque, which constitutes religious gatekeeping under Sharia-based community structuring.
• Lectures women on Sharia hair and grooming laws, including fatwas against plucking eyebrows, perfume use, and dress outside the home.
• Defends Sharia penal codes, including punishments such as amputation, stoning, and execution, as “perfect justice,” while avoiding open mention of them to Western audiences.
• Frames Sharia as a superior legal system, with Qadhi repeatedly stating that democracy and secular law are inferior to divine Islamic law, and that Muslims should work toward a Sharia-based society.
• Refuses to condemn Hamas, a Sharia-based terrorist group, and instead praises their cause while framing the West as Islam’s aggressor.
• Many more examples are available.

Cogdell’s statements perfectly exemplify what Deaton warned about during his testimony:

“Local government decision-makers have failed to ask hard questions for fear of negative publicity and being labeled as bigots.”

And now, that exact accusation of bigotry is being wielded like a weapon. Cogdell described the widespread concern over EPIC City as “fearmongering” and “political theater,” and accused critics—including Governor Greg Abbott—of engaging in “racial profiling” and “gubernatorial hate speech.”

But Islam is not a race. It is a belief system—a totalizing ideology that governs law, finance, family, speech, and society. Even radical CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper has admitted: “Islam is an ideology. It’s not a race.” Muslims span every race and ethnicity, and people convert to Islam every day. Criticizing Sharia is no more “racist” than opposing communism, Nazism, or any other supremacist legal system. The attempt to brand critics as “racist” is not about protecting people—it’s about silencing debate.

This is not legal defense—it is ideological gaslighting. And it confirms what EPIC’s critics have said all along: that instead of debating the facts, the developers are hiding behind identity politics, lawfare, and media manipulation.

But no amount of smears or name-calling can undo the public testimony of a court-recognized SWAT expert and 26-year veteran of the Plano Police Department.”

Dan Cogdell can call it political theater. But to the residents of Texas, this is not a performance—it’s a warning. And EPIC’s attempt to expand its Sharia-enclave into a 400-acre Islamic compound is no longer a local concern. It is a national issue of law, sovereignty, and security.

The proposed EPIC City is not just a real estate venture—it is the next phase in a calculated plan to construct a parallel legal and ideological system that fundamentally contradicts the U.S. Constitution and Western civic norms.

This contradiction between EPIC City’s Sharia-based framework and America’s constitutional values isn’t abstract—it’s unfolding in real time. From religious gatekeeping in housing to parallel financial and social systems, this project directly challenges the authority and supremacy of U.S. law.

Legal, Cultural, and National Implications

As Deaton testified, this is not an isolated project. EPIC City is a strategic expansion of the Sharia-based governance model already operating in Plano—now scaled up and exported across North Texas.

This is not speculation. The facts are visible, documented, and corroborated by public records, property maps, financial structures, and the public statements of EPIC leadership themselves. EPIC City is not a standalone experiment—it is the expansion of an already-functioning Sharia-enclave, complete with religiously restricted housing, Islamic financing systems, and ideological infrastructure embedded deep within a Texas suburb.

This isn’t just about race or religion—it’s about parallel governance. It’s about sovereignty. And it’s about whether we have the courage to uphold the rule of law in the face of ideological pressure.

Texas law enforcement and regulatory agencies are now investigating EPIC City. Their findings may determine not just the future of one project, but whether American civic authority still has the will to confront religious parallel systems operating in defiance of state and federal law.

This case is no longer local—it is national. It is legal. It is cultural. And it is, without question, existential to the American identity—and to the future of Western civilization itself.

This article has been cross-posted with permission from The RAIR Foundation.