Former US Representative George Santos, a 36-year-old New York Republican, has pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft as part of a federal fraud case that led to his expulsion from Congress. Santos was once hailed as a rising political star after he flipped a suburban district on Long Island and a slice of Queens in 2022, but his life story began unraveling before he was even sworn into office.
Reports emerged that he had lied about having a career at top Wall Street firms and a college degree, alongside other questions about his biography. New inquiries then emerged about his campaign funds. Santos was first indicted on federal charges in May 2023, but refused to resign from office. He was expelled from Congress after an ethics investigation found “overwhelming evidence” that he had broken the law and exploited his public position for his own profit.
Santos had previously pleaded not guilty to a range of alleged financial crimes, including lying to Congress about his wealth, collecting unemployment benefits while actually working, and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses. In an interview in December, he hinted at the possibility of a plea deal, stating that going to prison was “not a pretty place” and he wanted to “work very hard to avoid that as best as possible.”
Former US Representative George Santos (Image via Getty)
As his trial approached, Santos sought to have a partially anonymous jury and wanted potential jurors to fill out a written questionnaire gauging their opinions of him. However, Judge Joanna Seybert denied both requests. Instead, Santos will remain free on bail until his sentencing on February 7, at which point he will likely spend at least six years in prison and owe more than $370,000 in restitution.
Santos’ fall from grace is a testament to the consequences of dishonesty and exploitation in politics. His guilty plea serves as a reminder that political officials must be held accountable for their actions and that the law will not be avoided or minimized due to their public position.
