- Former NY Rep. George Santos must surrender to federal custody by July 25.
- George Santos must pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution as part of his plea deal
Former Rep. George Santos was sentenced Friday, April 25, to more than seven years in prison, according to a report from USA TODAY.
U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert reportedly granted the U.S. Justice Department’s request of seven years and three months in prison during Friday’s sentencing in Suffolk County on Long Island.
Santos was ordered to surrender to federal custody by July 25.
What did George Santos plead guilty to?
Attorneys for Santos had asked for the minimum sentence of two years required by law, citing his guilty plea in August 2024 to felony wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. At a prior hearing, Santos also admitted to filing false campaign finance reports, charging donors’ credit cards without authorization, and fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits, USA TODAY reported.
Santos also agreed to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and to forfeit $205,000 as part of that plea deal.
Why was George Santos expelled from Congress, and what was he charged with?
Santos was indicted on 23 federal counts, including fraud and misusing campaign funds.
Santos was expelled from the House of Representatives after the indictment and a House Ethics Committee report found substantial evidence that Santos misused campaign funds for his own personal benefit and committed federal crimes.
The decision to expel Santos was a largely bipartisan vote of 311-114 (an expulsion vote requires a two-thirds vote to pass.) Members of New York’s Republican delegation reportedly were the ones to spearhead efforts to expel Santos.
“It’s a sad day,” Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (NY-4) told reporters in 2023. “We hear about Santos every single day. You go to the barber shop, you go to church, you go to the post office, you go get a slice of good New York pizza and people want to talk about George Santos.”
What has George Santos been up to since his 2023 expulsion from Congress?
Santos has not stopped raising eyebrows since his expulsion from Congress — although this time, he has less influence on public policy.
The former elected official became a creator on the platform Cameo in December, 2023. Cameo allows users to purchase a personalized message, for themselves or as a gift, from select “celebrities” (the term includes anyone of offline and online fame, whether that be notorious or not.)
According to his Cameo profile, Santos specialized in everything from an “over-the-top roast, a heartwarming congratulations, or just some good old-fashioned encouragement.”
After joining, Santos soon started charging upwards of $200 per requested video, and had a 5-star rating, USA TODAY reported.
“Known for his unique brand of humor and unmatched self-confidence, George is the perfect pick to hype up your friends, celebrate milestones, or even send a few choice words to your political rivals,” his profile reads. “So if you’re looking to make your next birthday, wedding, or work event one to remember, let George Santos work his magic!”
As of April 25, Cameo has Santos listed as unavailable.
In 2024, Santos was granted permission to expand his ability to travel — though not far from his home state of New York. In June, Santos asked Judge Seybert for permission to travel regularly to the Poconos, a popular tourist destination about 75 miles west of Manhattan in Pennsylvania.
Santos had intended “to make regular visits to Tobyhanna” in summer 2024, USA TODAY Network’s Pocono Record reported, and wanted to do so without having to notify his pretrial services officer. Tobyhanna is home to the U.S. Military installation Tobyhanna Army Depot, and is near multiple resorts, casinos and other attractions. Judge Seybert ultimately approved his request.
Previously, he was allowed to travel within New York City, Long Island and Washington, D.C., without advance notice.
Contributing: USA TODAY, USA TODAY Network’s Pocono Record
