Houston television anchor Daniella Guzman is under investigation by KPRC-TV for allegedly accepting complimentary tickets to a World Cup game and a Bruno Mars concert. The station's general manager, Sean McLaughlin, stated that the station takes journalistic ethics and the appearance of conflicts of interest seriously.
Guzman reportedly received three complimentary tickets to the June 17 World Cup match between Portugal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, held at the 72,000-seat NRG Stadium. She posted a video on social media showing herself in a luxury suite with her parents during the game. The final ticket prices for this match were reported to be nearly $1,300. The suite where Guzman was situated is maintained by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation and has hosted various Democratic officials.
Additionally, Guzman is alleged to have received four tickets to a Bruno Mars concert at the same stadium on April 22. The median price to attend this concert was reported as $979. Guzman, a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, expressed her excitement about attending the World Cup game with her parents, describing it as a "dream come true" on Facebook.
The investigation was prompted by records obtained by The Texas Voice, which detailed Guzman's alleged acceptance of a total of seven complimentary tickets. The records indicate that other individuals who received free tickets to these events included Harris County officials such as Commissioner Lesley Briones, Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, and Commissioner Tom Ramsey, among others. Many of these recipients are affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Guzman, who anchors KPRC 2 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m., was recognized in 2023 as one of the top 30 most influential women in Texas. The station has declined to comment further, citing that the matter involves personnel issues.