Disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who lied about his life story and defrauded donors, faces sentencing in federal court docket on Friday.
The New York Republican, who served in Congress for barely a yr earlier than being ousted in 2023 by his Home colleagues, pleaded responsible final summer time to federal wire fraud and aggravated id theft.
He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of almost a dozen individuals, together with his relations, to fund his profitable marketing campaign. As a part of a plea deal, Santos has agreed to pay roughly $580,000 in penalties along with jail time.
The 36-year-old informed The Related Press he’s resigned to his destiny.
“I’m doing as well as any human being would be doing given the circumstances,” Santos wrote in a textual content message on Thursday. “I will be in court tomorrow, ready to face the music.”
Prosecutors are in search of seven years in federal jail for Santos, arguing in latest court docket filings that he “remains unrepentant” and has not proven real regret, regardless of what he claims.
They cite latest feedback Santos has made on social media wherein he casts himself as a sufferer of prosecutorial overreach.
In a letter to the court docket this week, Santos burdened that he stays “profoundly sorry” for his crimes however objects to the sentence being sought, which he stated is overly harsh.
Santos’ attorneys have referred to as for a two-year jail stint, which is the necessary minimal sentence for aggravated id theft.
They argue such a penalty is similar to sentences handed to former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and different political figures convicted of comparable monetary crimes.
Santos was elected in 2022, flipping a rich district representing components of Queens and Lengthy Island for the GOP.
Quickly after, it was revealed that the political unknown had fabricated a lot of his life story, portray himself as a profitable enterprise proprietor who labored at prestigious Wall Avenue corporations and held a beneficial actual property portfolio.
In actuality, Santos was struggling financially and even confronted eviction. The revelations led to congressional and felony inquiries into how he had funded his marketing campaign.
As his sentencing approached, Santos was reflective in social media posts, thanking his supporters and detractors alike.
“I learned that no matter left, right or, center we are all humans and for the most part Americans (LOL) and we have one super power that I cherish and that is compassion,” he wrote Thursday on the social platform X. “To the trolls… well you guys are an impactful part of how people shape themselves, and y’all made me much stronger and made my skin thicker!”
He additionally made one last plug for his Cameo account, the place he data customized video messages for $100.
“Think ahead and of any celebration or event coming up later this year. Book them today,” Santos wrote, ending the publish with a sequence of coronary heart emojis.
Related Press reporter Jake Offenhartz in New York contributed to this story.
