Merrick B. Garland Attorney General at U.S. Department of Justice | Official Website
Former U.S. Representative George Anthony Devolder Santos pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Santos, 36, of Queens, New York, admitted to filing fraudulent FEC reports, embezzling funds from campaign donors, charging credit cards without authorization, stealing identities, obtaining unemployment benefits through fraud, and lying in reports to the House of Representatives.
"As part of his campaign for election to the U.S. House of Representatives, George Santos committed fraud and identity theft, and lied to the American people about his personal finances and campaign supporters," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri. "In doing so, Santos violated laws designed to ensure that the public has accurate information about the personal finances of individuals who seek to represent them in Congress and how their political campaigns are funded."
"Today, for what may seem like the first time since he started his campaign for Congress, Mr. Santos told the truth about his criminal schemes," said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. "By pleading guilty, Mr. Santos has acknowledged that he repeatedly defrauded federal and state government institutions as well as his own family, supporters and constituents."
"Today, George Santos admitted that he did in fact lie, cheat, and steal his way to elected office," said Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis of the FBI's New York Field Office.
"George Santos lied to his constituents, cheated his supporters and quite simply made a mockery of his position in public office," said Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso of IRS-Criminal Investigations New York.
During the 2022 election cycle, Santos was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York’s Third Congressional District. Nancy Marks served as treasurer for his campaign committee. They submitted materially false reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), inflating fundraising numbers to mislead various entities.
Between July 2020 and October 2022, Santos executed a scheme involving unauthorized credit card charges on contributors' accounts. Additionally, he falsely represented these contributions in FEC filings under other names.
In September 2022 during his congressional campaign, Santos defrauded prospective political supporters through a limited liability company by misrepresenting how their donations would be used.
From February 2020 onwards during employment at a Florida-based investment firm (Investment Firm #1), Santos applied for unemployment benefits while employed.
Santos is scheduled for sentencing on February 7, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison with a maximum sentence up to 22 years.
As part of the plea agreement, Santos will pay restitution totaling $373,749.97 and forfeiture amounting to $205,002.97.
Trial Attorneys Jacob Steiner and John Taddei from the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section alongside Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Harris, Anthony Bagnuola, and Laura Zuckerwise are prosecuting this case.
