Former US Representative George Santos was sentenced to 87 months in prison on Friday for committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The sentencing took place in a federal court near his former congressional district in Central Islip, New York.
Santos, who pleaded guilty to the charges last summer, expressed remorse through tears, stating he was ‘humbled’ and ‘chastised’ and had betrayed the trust of his constituents. ‘I offer my deepest apologies,’ he said. ‘I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.’
However, US District Court Judge Joanna Seybert remained unconvinced by Santos’ apology. ‘Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?’ she questioned before delivering the sentence. ‘It’s always someone else’s fault.’
The New York Republican served in Congress for barely a year before being expelled by his colleagues, becoming the sixth House member to face such action. Santos admitted to deceiving donors and stealing identities from nearly a dozen individuals, including family members, to fund his successful campaign. As part of his plea deal, he agreed to pay approximately $580,000 in penalties.
Prosecutors highlighted that Santos’ victims included vulnerable individuals such as a brain-damaged woman and two elderly men. New York Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon noted that Santos’ crimes also affected jobless and struggling New Yorkers, as he collected unemployment benefits while working for a Florida company.
Santos is scheduled to report to prison on July 25. His defense team had argued for a two-year prison sentence, portraying Santos as ‘warm, kind, caring, and thoughtful’ despite his public image. They attributed his actions to a ‘broken’ upbringing and bullying, leading him to create an ‘alternate ego.’
The judge rejected comparisons to previous campaign fraud cases, emphasizing that her role was to determine a ‘just sentence.’ Santos’ dramatic fall from grace followed revelations that he had fabricated much of his life story and misrepresented his financial status and professional background.
