Former Rep. George Santos, who was convicted of felony prices of aggravated id theft and wire fraud, mentioned he’ll now not be looking for a presidential pardon.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures
Fraudster and ex-Rep. George Santos, who was sentenced to 87 months in jail for aggravated id theft and wire fraud, mentioned he’ll now not search a presidential pardon for his crimes.
“Even though I initially considered the prospect of petitioning the president with a pardon application I have [ceased] that approach as I will not spend the last 61 days I have of life scrambling on how to get past a bunch of guard dogs,” Santos wrote in a submit on X. “The so-called ‘friends’ I have that said they’d help legit should have just told me to go f– myself, because that’s what has essentially happened with their actions. I’ve accepted my fate and don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
Santos, who represented New York’s third Congressional District on the North Shore of Nassau County and northeastern Queens, was elected in November 2022.
He was expelled in December 2023 after a Home Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of his unethical and unlawful actions that started shortly following his election.
Santos was indicted in Could 2023 on 13 counts of wire fraud, cash laundering, theft of public funds and making materially false statements to Congress.
In October 2023, he was handed a further 10 conspiracy prices to commit offenses in opposition to the US, wire fraud, mendacity to the Federal Election Fee, falsifying information, aggravated id theft, and gadget fraud.
In August 2024, Santos pleaded responsible to 2 counts of wire fraud and id theft. In trade for his responsible plea, the 21 different prices from his indictment had been dropped.
George Santos was sentenced to 87 months in jail for establish theft and wire fraud.Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
On April 25, he was sentenced to 87 months in jail for aggravated id theft and wire fraud. The Justice Division sought this sentence, whereas his protection requested a sentence of simply two years.
The seven-year punishment combines two consecutive sentences for the 2 counts he pleaded responsible to. He’s additionally required to pay $373,000 in restitution to his victims.
Santos’ lawyer, Joseph Murray, advised Schneps Media LI lower than per week after Santos’ sentencing that they had been looking for to use for a presidential pardon.
“Because President Trump went through what he went through with his cases, he will identify right away the political aspects of this prosecution,” Murray beforehand advised the Schneps Media LI.
Earlier this month, Santos pleaded on an episode of “Piers Morgan Uncensored” for President Donald Trump to pardon him of his crimes.
“President Trump, I appreciate if you can give me a consideration,” Santos mentioned within the interview. “I’m not an altar boy, not pretending to be one, but I’m not a hardened criminal who deserves to be in prison for seven years, off what I would call ‘ambitious mistakes’ and something that I deeply regret. And I would like to take all the bad I’ve done and transform it into a positive… to be able to sniff out bad actors doing similar actions that I did.”
He cited considerations about being at risk in jail, particularly from immigrants who could also be pissed off together with his immigration insurance policies.
Santos mentioned he believed his trial to be politicized and that his sentence was unjust. He mentioned he intends to maneuver out of the US after he’s launched from jail.
Murray additionally expressed these considerations, calling the sentence “excessive” and “unprecedented.” He mentioned it’s “archaic” to condemn a non-violent first-time offender to jail for monetary crimes.
“Why are the taxpayers being burdened with having to now have him locked up in a cage for seven years when, in fact, he should be out in the community making amends and repaying his debt to society?” Murray beforehand mentioned. “I don’t see how this benefits anyone.”
Murray mentioned he believed this case to be politically motivated, saying the courtroom acted with out precedent.
Santos’ announcement to not search a pardon follows Trump’s newest sequence of pardons and commutations on Wednesday, Could 28.
These encompassed former elected officers, together with New York Rep. Michael G. Grimm, who pleaded responsible to felony tax evasion in 2014, and ex-Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, who pleaded responsible to conspiracy to steal sincere providers in 2004 and was convicted once more in 2014 for conspiracy to cover his work on political campaigns.
Trump has pardoned six members of Congress over his two phrases.
Santos has till July 25 to show himself in to start his jail sentence.
Ex-Rep. George Santos (proper) leaving the U.S. District Court docket in Central Islip together with his lawyer Joseph Murray (left) in December.
