Former New York Congressman George Santos admitted guilt to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on Monday, declaring outside the courthouse that his plea was the “right thing to do.” Santos is scheduled for sentencing on February 7.
In his plea, Santos acknowledged that he falsely reported contributions from relatives to his campaign to meet fundraising requirements for support from the National Republican Congressional Committee. He also admitted to additional fraudulent activities, such as unauthorized charges on donor credit cards and misleading donors into believing their contributions would fund TV advertisements. Furthermore, he confessed to misappropriating public funds by claiming unemployment benefits during the pandemic, which he was not eligible for.
Santos expressed remorse in a court statement, acknowledging that his actions had “betrayed” his constituents and others.
In addition to facing prison time, Santos is required to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and forfeit over $200,000. He faces a prison term of 75 to 87 months, including a mandatory two-year minimum sentence for the aggravated identity theft charge.
