Former U.S. Representative George Santos, once a rising figure in Republican politics, was sentenced Friday to 87 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to multiple fraud charges tied to his 2022 congressional campaign.
The ruling marks a dramatic fall for the ex-lawmaker, who was expelled from Congress in 2023 amid growing legal and ethical scrutiny.
U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert handed down the sentence in a packed courtroom, ordering Santos to report to prison by July 25. The 35-year-old, who represented parts of Long Island and Queens, broke into tears as he apologized for betraying the public’s trust.
“I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead,” Santos said in a brief but emotional statement. “I have tried my best.”
Santos pleaded guilty last August to charges including aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, admitting to a series of schemes to defraud donors, misappropriate campaign funds, and obtain fraudulent unemployment benefits. As part of the plea deal, he was ordered to pay $373,000 in restitution.
The Department of Justice had pushed for a sentence exceeding seven years, citing the extent and audacity of Santos’ criminal conduct. His defense attorneys, however, sought a more lenient two-year term, emphasizing his cooperation and lack of violent history.
A Downward Spiral from Capitol Hill to Federal Prison
Santos’ political career was marred from the outset by scandal. After winning a seat in the House of Representatives in 2022, it quickly emerged that the New York Republican had fabricated large portions of his resume, including his education, professional background, and even family history. His election victory came amid a wave of GOP wins in New York that helped Republicans secure a slim House majority.
But the facade began to crumble when federal prosecutors charged him in 2023 with nearly two dozen counts related to financial fraud and deception. The charges included stealing donor identities to make unauthorized contributions to his campaign and falsely claiming unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though Santos initially pleaded not guilty and resisted efforts to expel him, a scathing report from the House Ethics Committee in November 2023 described further “uncharged and unlawful conduct,” prompting his eventual removal from office.
He briefly launched an independent bid in a different New York congressional district in 2024 but withdrew within weeks before ultimately changing his plea to guilty in federal court.
Legal and Political Fallout
Santos’ case has drawn national attention not only for its sensational details but also for the legal questions it raised about campaign finance accountability and congressional ethics enforcement. Legal experts say his sentencing could signal a shift toward greater consequences for elected officials who misuse public and political resources.
“Santos represents a cautionary tale of what can happen when lies, fraud, and ambition collide unchecked,” said one former federal prosecutor. “This sentence reinforces that no one is above the law, not even a sitting member of Congress.”
Santos is the sixth member of Congress to ever be expelled from the U.S. House and the first Republican to face that fate.
As of Friday, the former congressman has not announced any further political ambitions. His legal team declined to say whether he intends to appeal the sentence.
