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| DATE | 2023-05-10 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [Hangout - NYLXS] Weaponing the Justice system continues
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Congressman George Santos Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges
Republican from Long Island surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning
By Corinne Ramey
and James Fanelli
Updated May 10, 2023 10:54 am ET
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U.S. Rep. George Santos is expected to appear in federal court on
Wednesday in Central Islip, N.Y.. Photo: Nathan Howard/Bloomberg News
Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) surrendered to federal authorities on
Wednesday to face criminal charges that he embezzled contributions,
fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits and lied on federal
disclosure forms.
Mr. Santos, who represents a district on Long Island, is expected to
appear in federal court in Central Islip, N.Y., later on Wednesday. An
indictment was unsealed charging Mr. Santos with seven counts of wire
fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public
funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House
of Representatives.
The charges come as Mr. Santos, who is running for re-election, has
faced months of accusations that he lied to voters about his personal
and professional experience. He has admitted misleading voters in the
past but has said he didn’t commit any crime.
“This indictment seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged
fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” said Breon Peace, the
U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “Taken together, the
allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated
dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich
himself.”
A lawyer for Mr. Santos didn’t immediately respond to a request for
comment.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Mr. Santos engaged in multiple
fraudulent schemes. In one, while running for Congress, he duped
supporters into contributing money that they believed would help elect
him to the House, prosecutors said. In reality, the money was
transferred to Mr. Santos’s personal bank account, and he used it to pay
personal debts and make non-campaign purchases, including designer
clothing, prosecutors said.
The indictment also accuses Mr. Santos of fraudulently receiving more
than $24,000 in unemployment insurance benefits.
Finally, prosecutors said, Mr. Santos lied on his 2020 and 2022 House
disclosure forms, which required a full picture of his assets, income
and liabilities. Mr. Santos overstated his income, failed to disclose
his salary from an investment firm and lied about deposits in bank
accounts, among other things, according to prosecutors.
In addition to Wednesday’s indictment, Mr. Santos faces scrutiny from
local prosecutors and the House Ethics Committee, which has said its
wide-ranging investigation includes whether Mr. Santos broke the law by
violating federal conflict-of-interest rules and engaging in sexual
misconduct with someone who was seeking employment in his office.
Mr. Santos has previously said he was cooperating with the committee
probe.
Despite the charges, Mr. Santos is permitted to remain in Congress.
Under House GOP conference rules, a lawmaker can stay in office while
under investigation or after an indictment, but must resign from
committee posts. Mr. Santos wasn’t seated on any committees at the
beginning of Congress. If a lawmaker is convicted, he or she is expected
to resign.
“In America you are innocent until proven guilty,” House Speaker Kevin
McCarthy (R., Calif.) said on Tuesday when asked about Mr. Santos.
Natalie Andrews contributed to this article.
--
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