Aug. 19 (UPI) — Former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., pleaded guilty Monday to two federal fraud charges in a plea deal that will send the former lawmaker to jail and bypass a criminal trial that was scheduled to start next month.
“My actions have betrayed the trust of my supporters and constituents,” Santos admitted.
“It’s clear to me now that I allowed ambition to cloud my judgment, leading me to make decisions that were unethical and guilty,” Santos told reporters Monday outside of the courthouse.
Santos, 36, who was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives in December, pleaded guilty in New York to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in Central Islip on Feb. 7, and could face between six and eight years in prison.
“A short time ago, after years of telling lies, former Congressman George Santos stood in the courthouse behind me and finally, under oath, told the truth. And that truth is that he is a criminal,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace told reporters Monday.
“He admitted that he lied, he stole and that he conned people. Santos’ countless lies and audacious misrepresentations catapulted him to Congress,” Peace added. “But for the victims of Santos’ various financial crimes and the community whose falsehoods and fabrications deprived them of honest representation in Congress, he is worthy only of infamy.”
Santos, who originally faced 23 counts, told U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert on Monday that he used donor money for personal benefit — which included designer clothing, Botox injections and OnlyFans subscriptions — and made false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He also admitted to committing wire fraud in 2022.
In addition to prison time, Santos agreed to repay at least $373,000 under the plea deal.
In October, Santos denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud, identity theft and making false statements to the Federal Elections Commission.
After being expelled from the U.S. House, Santos announced in March he would seek a different seat in New York’s 1st Congressional District. He dropped the bid a month later.
Santos was the sixth member to ever be ousted from the House, after he served less than a year. An Ethics report, which led to his ouster, detailed his alleged conduct and provided “substantial evidence” that Santos repeatedly broke the law as he continued to maintain his innocence.
While Santos faces up to eight years in prison, he will serve at least two years, according to the plea agreement.
Santos told CBS New York in December that he was working hard to avoid jail time.
“I think everybody should be afraid of going to jail. It’s not a pretty place,” he said.
“Pleading guilty is a step I never imagined I’d take, but it is a necessary one because it is the right thing to do,” Santos admitted Monday.
“It’s not only a recognition of my misrepresentations to others, but more profoundly, it is my own recognition of the lies I told myself over these past years.”