Ex-lawmaker George Santos faces 7-year prison sentence for federal fraud, identity theft

Disgraced former Rep. George Santos could look much than 7 years successful situation if New York prosecutors get their way.

Santos, 36, who became conscionable the sixth House subordinate to beryllium expelled from the enclosure and the archetypal Republican, pleaded blameworthy to national fraud and individuality theft charges successful August arsenic portion of a plea woody aft having been indicted connected felony charges.

The former lawmaker stole from governmental donors, utilized run contributions to wage for idiosyncratic expenses, lied to Congress astir his wealthiness and collected unemployment benefits portion really working.

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos arrives astatine tribunal successful Central Islip, N.Y., connected Aug. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

GEORGE SANTOS ENDS CONGRESSIONAL RUN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS INTO INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN

"No substance however hard the DOJ comes for me, they are huffy due to the fact that they volition NEVER interruption my spirit," Santos posted connected X Friday successful the aftermath of a tribunal filing by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Santos has already agreed to service a minimum of 2 years successful situation and was expected to beryllium sentenced successful February but asked the tribunal to postpone sentencing until helium tin marque capable wealth from his podcast to wage the astir $600,000 helium owes successful restitution and forfeiture.

Prosecutors alleged helium had raked successful astir $800,000 from appearances connected the Cameo app, with erstwhile reports suggesting helium was charging $350 a popular for videos featuring his resistance change ego Kitara Ravache. Santos antecedently denied ever dressing arsenic a resistance queen oregon associating with resistance queens.

Prosecutors argued successful the filing Friday that Santos warrants a important condemnation due to the fact that his "unparalleled crimes" had "made a mockery" of the country’s predetermination system.

"From his instauration of a wholly fictitious biography to his callous theft of wealth from aged and impaired donors, Santos’s unrestrained greed and voracious appetite for fame enabled him to exploit the precise strategy by which we prime our representatives," the bureau wrote.

Prosecutors alleged Santos had raked successful astir $800,000 from appearances connected the Cameo app arsenic his erstwhile cross-dressing persona. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images/X @MrSantosNY)

EX-LAWMAKER GEORGE SANTOS OFFERING CAMEO VIDEOS WITH HIS DRAG QUEEN ALTER EGO

They wrote that helium had been unrepentant for years and blasted investigations into his crimes arsenic a "witch hunt."

They besides said his claims of remorse aft pleading blameworthy "ring hollow" and suggested helium has a "high likelihood of reoffending" fixed helium has not forfeited immoderate of his ill-gotten gains oregon repaid immoderate of his victims.

The lawyers support specified a condemnation is successful enactment with those handed to former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and different governmental figures facing akin fiscal crimes.

Santos' ineligible squad asked for a two-year condemnation successful a Friday tribunal filing. His lawyer, Andrew Mancilla, said prosecutors were selling a mendacious communicative to the court.

"The authorities wants headlines, not justice. This vindictive 87-month request ignores sentencing norms for akin cases," Mancilla said.

The freshman lawmaker was expelled a twelvemonth into his archetypal word successful the House successful the aftermath of a damning House Ethics Committee study that recovered helium misused run funds on luxury items and OnlyFans, among different things. He had not been convicted of a transgression astatine the time. 

Disgraced former Rep. George Santos could look much than 7 years successful situation if New York prosecutors get their way. (Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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During his campaign, Santos claimed that helium attended New York University, that helium had worked astatine Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and that his grandparents had fled the Nazis during World War Two. None of those claims were true.

Santos was erstwhile touted arsenic a rising governmental prima aft helium flipped the suburban territory that covers the affluent North Shore of Long Island and a portion of the New York City borough of Queens successful 2022.

Last twelvemonth helium failed successful an effort to relaunch his governmental vocation by moving arsenic an Independent successful a neighboring territory to re-enter the House.

Fox News’ Stepheny Price and Anders Hagstrom arsenic good arsenic The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.