House Representative George Santos addresses the media as he exits federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York May 10, 2023. STEFAN JEREMIAH / AP
His lies have continued to roil American politics and the media since his election to Congress in November 2022. US House Representative-elect George Santos was arrested on Wednesday, May 10 and charged with thirteen counts of financial fraud that he did not plead guilty to.
The Republican representative of the state of New York, who was indicted by a grand jury, appeared in federal court in Central Islip, east of the American metropolis, and was released on bail of $ 500,000 (455,000 euros), said a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office with the eastern district of New York. George Santos was invited to an upcoming audition on June 30th.
“I will make sure my name is cleared,” the 34-year-old reporter-elect told reporters as he exited court, assuring there were “mistakes” in the file. George Santos has been charged with wire fraud, money laundering, embezzling public funds and making false statements to the House of Representatives, prosecutors said in a statement. The maximum penalty for such charges is twenty years in prison.
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The indictment also alleges that he defrauded campaign donors by transferring $50,000 in donations to his personal bank account, which he allegedly used to pay off debts and buy luxury clothing.
Deaf to resignation calls
George Santos is also accused of making financial misrepresentations about his wealth and income to the House of Representatives. He is also accused of receiving $24,000 in unemployment benefits that he was not entitled to before he was elected to Congress.
“He misused political donations to line his own pockets, illegally solicited unemployment benefits that should have been paid to New Yorkers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and lied to the House of Representatives,” he said. said the New York Attorney. Breon peace.
After his election in November 2022 and following revelations in the New York Times, George Santos admitted to blatantly lying about entire parts of his life to whitewash his resume, but has since remained deaf to calls for his resignation.
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Whoever appeared as the son of Brazilian parents and presented himself as a symbol of the “American dream” was accused of lying or exaggerating reality by presenting himself as “an American who is proud to be Jewish” or even as a grandson of the Holocaust depicted survivors fleeing Nazi barbarism.
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Asked about the possible indictment of George Santos, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he would “look at the indictment” before considering expulsion from Congress.