Former Congressman George Santos Sentenced to 87 Months in Federal Prison

Former Congressman George Santos was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison, the maximum sentence available after the disgraced New York Republican pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft charges. 

Shortly after the sentencing, Santos took to social media, begging President Trump for a pardon. 

"I believe that 7 years is an over the top politically influenced sentence and I implore that President Trump gives me a chance to prove I'm more than the mistakes I've made,” posted Santos. 

Prosecutors however, see it very differently. 

“From the moment he declared his candidacy for Congress, Santos leveraged his campaign for his own enrichment and financial benefit,” said U.S. Attorney John Durham for the Eastern District of New York. 

A String of Financial Crimes 

According to court documents, Santos lied about his background and also committed a litany of crimes while running for Congress in 2022, in a district containing parts of Long Island and Queens. 

Those include inflating campaign numbers to qualify for federal matching funds, lying on financial disclosure forms to Congress, and pocketing more than $24,000 in unemployment benefits while holding a job. 

Santos was also accused of stealing the identity and credit card information of donors and then charging their cards without permission. 

In requesting the maximum sentence, prosecutors noted Santos’s lack of remorse writing, “It is abundantly clear that, without a substantial deterrent, Santos will continue to deceive and defraud for years to come.”

Santos was expelled from Congress on December 1, 2023, serving less than a year in the chamber. He was just the sixth member ever to be expelled by the House. 

Santos must report to prison by July 25, 2025. 

There has been no comment from the White House on whether President Trump will take action on the sentence.

U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the New York State Department of Labor, for their assistance in the investigation.