Former New York Rep. George Santospleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in his federal fraud case on Monday, Aug. 19, avoiding a trial on several additional charges, according to The New York Times and CBS News, which had reporters in the courtroom.
The disgraced ex-congressman, 36, faced a total of 23 criminal counts heading into court on Monday, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft. The wire fraud charge alone carried a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, according to The Washington Post.
His guilty plea is unlikely to spare him prison time. CBS News reports that a judge expects his sentence to range from six to eight years.
His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 7.
George Santos in 2023.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty
Santos fell into controversy almost as soon as he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, following a 2022 New York Times report that said several claims he had made on the campaign trail could not be corroborated. In February 2023, one month after he was sworn in, the House Ethics Committee confirmed that he was under investigation.
The Republican lawmaker’s issues turned more serious when he became the subject of criminal investigations tied to his campaign finances. In May 2023, he was charged by federal prosecutors with 13 counts. Among the many allegations, the indictment accused him of using potential donors’ money to purchase designer clothing and collecting unemployment while he was working at an investment firm.
In October, Santos was hit with 10 additional counts. Notably, the superseding indictment accused him of charging campaign donors’ credit cards without their authorization.
Santos initially pleaded not guilty to all charges.
At the recommendation of the Republican-led House Ethics Committee, Santos was expelled from Congress in December 2023, making him only the sixth House member in history to face such a punishment.
