Rep. George Santos, the New York Republican infamous for fabricating key parts of his life story, was arrested on federal criminal charges on Wednesday. The New York Times details the charges he faces: seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives. The 13-count indictment against him says Santos induced supporters to donate to a company under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. Instead, it says, he used it for personal expenses, including luxury designer clothes, and to pay off his credit cards, reports the AP.
The indictment also claims Santos falsely maintained over the course of 10 months that he was unemployed, fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits while he actually "received regular deposits into his personal bank accounts as part of his Regional Director [at an investment firm] salary of approximately $120,000 per year." Other charges relate to false financial certifications he allegedly made in 2020 House Disclosure statements. Santos, who surrendered to federal authorities Wednesday morning, is expected to make an initial court appearance at a federal courthouse on Long Island later in the day.
US Attorney Breon Peace said the indictment "seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations. Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself." (More George Santos stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
