Topline
Disgraced former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., who was hit with fraud and money laundering charges last year, is expected to plead guilty, according to The New York Times, eliminating a federal trial over the charges that was slated to begin soon.
Santos will soon be on trial for 23 felony charges, unless he pleads guilty. (Photo by Drew … [+]
Key Facts
Santos told prosecutors he will plead guilty Monday in New York, the Times reported, citing two unnamed lawyers involved in the case and two unnamed people familiar with the matter.
Santos can still change his mind ahead of the Sept. 9 trial.
Terms of the guilty plea and a potential sentencing are not clear, though the former Republican representative-turned-independent could face up to 22 years in federal prison under the charges.
An in-person hearing requested by prosecutors and Santos’ lawyers is scheduled for Monday, though the hearing’s purpose is unclear, according to the Times.
Santos initially pleaded not guilty to his fraud charges last May and was later indicted on ten additional charges linked to a scheme where he allegedly stole donor identities and financial information
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Big Number
23. That’s how many charges Santos faces including wire fraud, identity theft, false statements and theft of public funds.
Surprising Fact
Santos shifted to filming videos on the celebrity video platform Cameo after he was expelled from Congress last year. He raked in more money than his $174,000 congressional salary in mere days on the platform, Cameo CEO Steven Galanis told Semafor. Santos said in April he would make personalized videos for fans as his drag queen persona, Kitara Ravache, for a limited time, claiming 20% of the proceeds would go to a Sept. 11 victim organization and a pro-Israel group. Santos had denied claims he used to perform as a drag queen following a post from a Brazilian drag performer showing someone in drag she claimed was Santos.
Key Background
Santos’ short run in Congress has been filled with controversy. The former representative has been accused of defrauding contributors to his 2022 House campaign, applying for unemployment despite making around $120,000 a year and submitting false reports with inflated fundraising figures to qualify for a campaign financial support program. Not long after he won his congressional race, Santos faced scrutiny over lies he told about his mother surviving the Sept. 11 attacks in New York, and his family’s ties to the Holocaust. The former representative also faced criticism over a check fraud case in Brazil, which was settled last year. Santos avoided prosecution for the use of two stolen checks in exchange for a confession and nearly $5,000 in payments to the Brazilian government and the victim of his scheme. Santos didn’t even complete a year in office before he was expelled from the House following an ethics report that alleged he used the powers of his office to benefit himself financially. Santos ran for reelection as an independent but announced his withdrawal from the short-lived run in April.
Further Reading
George Santos Is Expected to Plead Guilty, People Close to the Case Say (New York Times)
‘Only Goodbye For Now’: Ex-Rep. George Santos Ends Bid For Congress (Forbes)
