Disgraced Former Congressman Faces 7-Year Prison Sentence After Being Booted from House

New York prosecutors announced Friday that former Republican Congressman George Santos could be sentenced to seven years in prison.

Santos admitted guilt in August to wire fraud and identity theft tied to his 2022 election campaign, according to Reuters.

Back in May 2023, he was indicted on multiple charges, including misusing donor funds for personal use, fraudulently claiming unemployment benefits while employed, and other financial misconduct.

Throughout his 2022 campaign, Santos was also caught making “numerous fictitious claims” about his background—falsely asserting he had attended New York University, held positions at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, and that his grandparents had fled the Nazis in World War II.

“From his creation of a wholly fictitious biography to his callous theft of money from elderly and impaired donors, Santos’s unrestrained greed and voracious appetite for fame enabled him to exploit the very system by which we select our representatives,” wrote the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York in the court filing, as cited by Fox News.

Santos’s defense team has requested a reduced sentence, aiming for the minimum 24-month term, according to The Hill.

“The government wants headlines, not justice. This vindictive 87-month demand ignores sentencing norms for similar cases,” stated his attorney, Andrew Mancilla.

After the August plea hearing, Santos addressed the media outside the courthouse in Central Islip, New York, offering an apology.

“I deeply regret my conduct and the harm it has caused and accept full responsibility for my actions,” he told supporters.

However, prosecutors questioned the sincerity of his “remorse.”

“Against that backdrop, moreover, Santos’s post-plea claims of remorse ring hollow. As of this writing, despite years of actively courting media attention and capitalizing on his infamy, Santos has forfeited nothing of his ill-gotten gains and has not repaid one cent to any of the victims of his financial crimes,” they argued in their statement.

Amid the fallout from his campaign scandals, Santos made history as the sixth member of the House—and notably, the first Republican—to be expelled from Congress, according to Fox News.

He was ordered to pay $205,000 in forfeiture and $375,000 in restitution but has yet to fulfill either obligation, The Hill reported.

Santos’s sentencing was initially scheduled for February, but he sought a delay, claiming he intended to use earnings from his “Pants on Fire” podcast to cover the costs, according to Fox News.

Despite that, prosecutors pointed out that he had already earned close to $800,000 through Cameo, where he charged fans to view his drag performances as “Kitara Ravache.”

Previously, Santos denied ever performing in drag.

According to The Hill, a final decision from the judge is expected on April 25.