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By: Hal C Clarke
Former Long Island Congressman George Santos became emotional on Monday as he admitted to betraying his constituents, pleading guilty to corruption charges in a New York federal court. According to the New York Post, the 36-year-old former lawmaker could face several years in prison after confessing to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Santos’ plea deal, as reported by the New York Post, was finalized just weeks before he was set to stand trial on nearly two dozen charges, which could have resulted in a 20-year prison sentence. During the hearing in Central Islip federal court, Santos struggled to maintain his composure as he accepted responsibility for his actions.
“I understand and fully accept responsibility for my actions,” Santos said, his voice trembling with emotion, according to the New York Post. “I betrayed the trust of my constituents and supporters. I deeply regret my conduct. I will do my best to make amends and learn from this experience.”
As detailed by the New York Post, Santos now faces a minimum of two years in prison, with a maximum potential sentence of 20 years. While federal guidelines suggest a sentence between six to seven years, the final decision rests with the judge, who is not bound by these recommendations.
During the hearing, Santos confessed to participating in a fraudulent scheme from October 2021 to October 2022. He admitted to filing false statements to inflate his campaign contribution data. His rapid speech prompted Judge Joanna Seybert to ask him to slow down, ensuring his confession was clear, according to the New York Post.
Santos implicated his former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, who had already pleaded guilty to a fraud conspiracy charge, as reported by the New York Post. “I, along with Nancy Marks, filed the list of false names,” Santos admitted. “We used the names of our friends and family to artificially inflate the number of our donors.”
The New York Post notes that Santos, who was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives last year, had initially pleaded not guilty to various charges, including laundering campaign funds and defrauding donors. Federal prosecutors, as reported by the New York Post, accused him of lying to Congress about his wealth, illegally collecting unemployment benefits while employed, and misusing campaign contributions for personal luxuries such as designer clothes, Botox treatments, and luxury vacations.
After the hearing, Santos addressed reporters outside the courthouse, wearing gold-rimmed Ray-Ban sunglasses. Reading from prepared notes, his voice cracked as he acknowledged his misdeeds, according to the New York Post. “It’s clear to me now that I allowed ambition to cloud my judgment, leading me to make decisions that were unethical and illegal,” he said. “To my family, friends, and the people of New York’s third Congressional District, I offer my deepest apologies,” he added, per the New York Post.
Santos’ fall from grace has been well-documented by the New York Post, including his fabrications during his 2022 congressional campaign. He falsely claimed to have graduated from New York University and Baruch College and to have worked at prestigious firms like Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Federal prosecutors, according to the New York Post, cited these lies in their request to introduce his prior conduct at trial.
“Today, for what may seem like the first time since he started his campaign for Congress, Mr. Santos told the truth about his criminal schemes,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.
