Former Rep. George Santos Faces Up To Two Years In Prison After Pleading Guilty In Federal Fraud Case

Former Rep. George Santos (R-New York) pleaded guilty on Monday to federal charges linked to his 2022 House campaign. The plea deal ends nearly two years of controversy surrounding Santos, who was expelled from Congress last year after being charged with 23 federal crimes.

Santos, who initially denied all charges, appeared before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert in the Eastern District of New York. The case had been moving toward a trial, with jury selection slated to start on Sept. 9. Santos faces the possibility of up to two years in prison.

The charges against Santos stem from multiple allegations of fraud, including the misuse of campaign funds, fraudulent activity involving Covid-19 unemployment benefits and false statements on House financial disclosure reports. Santos first faced legal trouble in May 2023 when he pleaded not guilty to 13 federal charges, which included wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress.

Despite the mounting legal pressure, Santos maintained his innocence and publicly stated that he would not accept a plea deal. He even announced his intention to seek reelection to Congress, asserting that he was being unfairly targeted.

However, things started to go against Santos. After crucial figures in his campaign were implicated, his campaign fundraiser, Sam Miele, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud in November, and his former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, admitted to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government in October.

Later that month, he was hit with an additional ten charges, accused of identity theft, fraudulent use of donors’ credit cards and conspiracy with his former campaign treasurer to falsify donation reports.

Santos, who represented parts of Long Island and Queens, initially sparked outrage in Washington, D.C., when it was revealed that he had fabricated significant aspects of his life story and professional background. His refusal to step down despite the growing scandal led to his expulsion from Congress in December 2023. The House Ethics Committee released a damning report that detailed additional misconduct by Santos beyond the existing criminal charges. This report prompted a decisive 311-114 vote in the House, leading to his expulsion.

After his expulsion, Santos briefly considered a political comeback, announcing plans to run independently in New York’s 1st District. However, he abandoned this effort in April, citing concerns about splitting the Republican vote and potentially aiding Democrats in taking control of the House.