George Santos’ time as a US representative was marked by bizarre appearances and lies that brought him to court, where he has now pleaded guilty to fraud.
Former Republican congressman George Santos, who was thrown out of Congress because of a series of lies and bizarre appearances, has pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft. According to consistent US media reports, this means the 36-year-old can avoid a trial that was supposed to begin next month. However, a prison sentence seems certain.
Santos “lied, he stole and he cheated people,” prosecutor Breon Peace told reporters. The defendant, meanwhile, apologized to his former constituents and said he made “unethical” decisions.
George Santos cheated his way into politics
Santos is accused of a number of charges, including money laundering and embezzlement of public funds. His rise to the federal political stage was overshadowed from the beginning by allegations of fraud and deception. Among other things, he falsified a large part of the resume with which he presented himself to voters in 2022.
As the public furor surrounding him continued, there were more and more revelations about the politician’s false statements about his higher education, his career, his family and his religion, among other things. For example, Santos claimed to have a degree from an elite university and a successful college volleyball career, and falsely claimed to have worked for the investment bank Goldman Sachs and the banking group Citigroup.
In 2023, Santos was thrown out of parliament
The guilty plea in New York State almost certainly means that Santos will go to prison after his sentencing hearing, scheduled for February 7. He faces a minimum of two years and a maximum of around 20 years in prison. He also agreed to pay more than $370,000 in restitution and showed remorse in court.
Santos served as a representative of a New York district in the US House of Representatives for about a year until his expulsion in early December 2023 and presented himself as a supporter of former US President Donald Trump. The plenum expelled him with a clear vote at the end of 2023 because of the overwhelming allegations.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
