The U.S. Department of Justice opened 13 federal charges against Congressman George Santos on Wednesday (10), the son of a Brazilian immigrant who was elected to the House of Representatives by the Republican Party last year.
Santos will face seven counts of electronic fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making false statements to the House of Representatives.
The congressman appeared in court on Wednesday morning. If convicted on all charges, Santos could face up to 20 years in prison.
Santos fraudulently applied for Covid-related unemployment insurance
Among the 13 charges from the Department of Justice, one accuses the congressman of fraudulently applying for unemployment benefits. Prosecutors claim he falsely stated he was unemployed on an application for a pandemic-related unemployment insurance program. But in reality, he was working at an investment firm with a salary of $120,000 a year.
He worked at the firm from February 2020 until mid-April 2021, according to the indictment. However, due to the repeated false statements he allegedly made to the unemployment program, Santos also received $24,744 in benefits, according to prosecutors.
Another serious accusation against Santos is that he allegedly used campaign funds for personal expenses, such as designer clothes. Prosecutors claim he set up a “fraudulent scheme to solicit political contributions,” opening a company and getting supporters to contribute funds under the false pretense that the money would benefit his political campaign.
Months of investigations
Santos has been under intense scrutiny after a report published by The New York Times last year revealed that he lied about his biography, education, and work history to voters, raising questions about his personal wealth and campaign finances.
Subsequent reports showed evidence of possible misconduct, including an unregistered fund that was allegedly raising large sums for his campaign, apparently in violation of campaign finance laws; hundreds of thousands of dollars in unexplained expenses; and a strange pattern of $199.99 payments, just below the threshold where receipts would be required.
The F.B.I., federal prosecutors, and the Nassau County District Attorney’s office are also investigating Santos’s role in brokering a $19 million luxury yacht deal between two of his wealthy donors. And the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the work Santos did for the troubled financial firm Harbour City Capital, which the government accused of operating as a Ponzi scheme.
While Santos admitted to falsifying much of his resume, he defended himself against other apparent fabrications and denied any criminal wrongdoing. In fact, a few weeks ago he announced his candidacy for reelection in 2024.
Source: The New York Times and CNN