Now former Congressman George Santos held a press conference on the House Triangle outside of the United States Capitol on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. He has since been expelled from Congress since Friday. Dec. 1, 2023.
Central Islip, New York – Disgraced former Congressman George Santos was sentenced Friday to 87 months in federal prison, marking a dramatic and disgraceful end to one of the most bizarre and fraudulent political careers in modern American history. Once hailed as a rising GOP star, Santos now stands convicted of wire fraud, identity theft, and a cascade of other financial crimes—most aimed at enriching himself through deception.
In court, the 36-year-old Republican, once the face of a flipped congressional district in New York, broke down in tears, saying he was “humbled” and “chastised.” But Judge Joanna Seybert wasn’t buying it. “Where is your remorse?” she asked. “You got elected with your words—most of which were lies.”
Santos admitted to stealing identities, lying to donors, and misusing campaign funds, including spending thousands on designer goods, Botox, and OnlyFans content. His plea deal includes $580,000 in penalties, and he must report to prison by July 25.
His downfall is staggering not just in scale, but in sheer audacity. Santos rose to national prominence in 2022, flipping a Democratic-leaning district while boasting a résumé packed with falsehoods: claiming he worked on Wall Street, descended from Holocaust refugees, and that his mother died as a result of 9/11. None of it was true.
Before he was even sworn in, revelations about his lies began surfacing. Federal prosecutors quickly uncovered a broader web of fraud: unemployment scams, fake donations, and fabricated loans. By late 2023, even his party had enough—he was expelled from Congress in a rare bipartisan vote, with more than 100 Republicans joining Democrats.
In court filings, prosecutors described Santos as “unrepentant,” highlighting his ongoing attempts to monetize his notoriety. After his expulsion, Santos began selling $100 videos on Cameo and launched a podcast cheekily titled Pants on Fire. This week, he promoted a discount on his Cameo page, calling it his “last week” before prison.
His lawyers pushed for a two-year sentence, arguing that Santos had expressed remorse and planned to repay nearly $375,000 in restitution. But the judge sided with prosecutors, citing the “seriousness of his unparalleled crimes” and his continued efforts to dodge accountability.
For many, the prison sentence still feels too light. “He betrayed the trust of the public and won a House seat by being a con man,” said former acquaintance Peter Hamilton. “Seven years? Honestly, that’s generous.”
George Santos now joins the history books—not as a trailblazing politician, but as a symbol of deception, hubris, and the dangers of unchecked ambition in American politics.
