Federal prosecutors urge a judge to condemn the former American representative in disgrace George Santos at the age of seven and three months in prison, calling for his conduct a “cheeky network of deception” which has frauded donors, misled the voters and fueled his political increase by lies, theft and fraud to identity.
The government described the magnitude of Santos’ fraudulent activity in the 2020 and 2022 electoral cycles in a memo of determining detailed sentence on Friday.
Prosecutors allege Santos, 35, with the help of the former Nancy Marks campaign treasurer, falsified the documents of the Federal Electoral Commission, making contributions to donors and inflating funds for collecting funds to reach the $ 250,000 threshold required to join the National “Guns” program of the National Republican Committean (NRCC). Marks pleaded guilty and awaits a conviction in June.
When he informed that he had not reached the NRCC reference, Santos sent a text to a partner: “We are going to do it a little differently. I understood it.”
This “different” approach included the submission of false donations awarded to family members, fictitious people and even identities stolen from elderly supporters, according to the file.
Representative George Santos enters the Capitol’s republican locker room on November 28, 2023.
Images Kevin Dietsch / Getty
In tandem, Santos headed a fraudulent political consulting firm, Redstone Strategies LLC, falsely presenting it as a super recorded super PAC or 501 (4) (4) for non -profit. It was neither, according to the prosecutors.
Prosecutors say Santos used Redstone to whiten donor money, keep commissions and finance personal expenses. In a program, he used a credit card of an elderly woman – originally for a single donation – to invoice $ 12,000 on the Redstone merchant account, approaching $ 11,580 after the costs. He won the money directly in his personal bank account.
Questioned by his trading partner, Santos lied, saying that the woman – who suffers from a brain injury – was a advice client, according to the file. Between February and August 2022, prosecutors say that Santos used his credit card on several occasions, assigning him donations, his daughter or fictitious names.
Another victim, called “individual 2” in the file, saw his credit card at least five times in March 2022, totaling more than $ 30,000 in false campaign contributions, including certain allocated Santos uncle and to people who did not exist. These donations were strategically transported to other campaigns that were Redstone customers, ensuring that Santos won a financial bribes while stimulating its political visibility.
In July 2020, he used another credit card from another victim to contribute $ 28,400 to his own campaign, some under the name of a personal friend who did not give his consent, according to the file.
In April 2022, prosecutors said that Santos falsely pointed out a personal loan of $ 500,000 in his campaign, allowing him to boast of a fundraising transport of $ 800,000. He approved a press release promoting the lie and presented the story in conversations with Republican leaders, including an office in office. According to the accusation, the loan never existed.
This lie, combined with its trafficked FEC deposits and a manufactured curriculum vitae, claiming NYU diplomas and jobs at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, helped Santos to obtain the status of young NRCC firearms in June 2022. The designation provided significant support: $ 103,000 in advertising, $ 33,000 and direct contributions from joint fund efforts.
However, in the fall of 2022, campaign employees discovered the truth. When he was confronted with the nonexistent loan, Santos admitted that he was not real and rushed to fill the gap by requesting a loan of $ 450,000 of a donor called “individual 1” in the file. Santos has been cabled $ 400,000 in his campaign, never reported it to the FEC and never reimbursed the donor. He covered the remaining $ 100,000 by diverting more funds from the same donor via Redstone.
Santos was expelled from Congress in December 2023 and pleaded fraud by guilty wire and aggravated identity fraud.
Defense lawyers said that in their own memo, Santos did not deserve more than two years in prison, arguing that he “accepted full responsibility for his actions”.
“This plea is not only an admission of guilt,” Santos told journalists in August. “It is a recognition that I must be held responsible like any other American who breaks the law.”
The condemnation of the former member of the Congress is April 30.
