Former Rep. George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Identity Theft

Former New York Representative George Santos, once viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. His plea, made in a Long Island court, comes just weeks before a trial was set to begin on a 23-count indictment that included accusations of stealing from campaign donors and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. Santos admitted to misrepresenting his background to secure funding for his campaign, leading to a restitution payment of nearly $373,750 and the forfeiture of over $205,000. Santos's career has been marred by a series of fabrications, including claims of being a star volleyball player at a college he never attended and falsely asserting that he had Jewish ancestry. He also misrepresented his employment history, with major firms like Citigroup and Goldman Sachs denying any record of his employment. His outlandish claims extended to raising funds for a service dog surgery while falsely stating he had employees during the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida. The former congressman was expelled from the House of Representatives in December 2022, marking a historic first for a member expelled without a prior federal conviction. A House Ethics report revealed substantial evidence of campaign fraud, detailing how Santos misappropriated donor funds for personal luxuries, including purchases at high-end retailers and adult content websites. His case has been described as one of the most bizarre episodes in modern U.S. politics.