Prosecutors also allege he stole people’s identities, made charges on his donors’ credit cards without their authorization and submitted false campaign reports that listed nonexistent loans and contributions that were fabricated or stolen.
Santos has long maintained his innocence, calling the federal charges a “witch hunt.” “I’m going to take care of clearing my name,” he said following his initial arraignment.
But last month, the House Ethics Committee disclosed “substantial evidence” supporting federal prosecutors’ charges, as well as other salacious offenses, including that Santos spent campaign funds on Botox treatments and lavish Atlantic City trips with his husband.
Santos subsequently became the sixth person ever voted out of the House, with 311 members voting yes.
And in the time since prosecutors first charged the former congressman, he has seen several of his former associates plead guilty to related charges.
One of his former campaign aides pleaded guilty to impersonating a House leadership aide while soliciting contributions for Santos’ campaign, and another former Santos ally, his former campaign treasurer Nancy Marks, pleaded guilty to fraudulently reporting a nonexistent loan that Santos had claimed to have made to his campaign.