Ex-Congressman George Santos Sentenced to More Than 7 Years for Fraud and Identity Theft
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — Former U.S. Representative George Santos was sentenced Friday to seven years and three months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The 36-year-old Republican, who was expelled from Congress in 2023, broke down in tears as the sentence was handed down.
“I offer my deepest apologies,” Santos said during the sentencing hearing. “I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.”
But U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert questioned the sincerity of his remorse.
“Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?” she said. “It’s always someone else’s fault.”
Santos' conviction stems from a sweeping scheme in which he defrauded donors, stole the identities of nearly a dozen individuals—including family members—and illegally collected unemployment benefits while employed. Some victims, prosecutors said, were especially vulnerable, including elderly individuals with dementia and a woman with brain damage.
Prosecutors sought the full 87-month sentence, citing Santos’ apparent lack of accountability and recent social media posts where he cast himself as a victim of political persecution. They also noted that Santos has shown little intention of repaying roughly $580,000 in restitution agreed to under his plea deal.
New York Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, who addressed the court as a victim, said Santos’ actions went beyond money. “There are many victims in this crime,” she said.
Defense attorney Andrew Mancilla argued for a lighter sentence, portraying Santos as a product of a troubled upbringing who fabricated his public persona out of a desperate need for acceptance.
“He built the man he wanted to be, not who he was,” Mancilla said. “Deep down, he is warm, kind, caring, and thoughtful. But now everyone hates George Santos.”
Santos’ political rise was brief but dramatic. Elected in 2022, he flipped a traditionally Democratic district in Queens and Long Island for the GOP. But soon after his victory, reports surfaced that he had fabricated much of his biography, including claims about his education, work history, and finances. The revelations triggered multiple investigations and ultimately led to his removal from the House of Representatives.
As sentencing approached, Santos remained active on social media, striking a defiant yet reflective tone. He thanked both supporters and critics and made a final promotional push for his Cameo account, where he sells personalized video messages for $100.
“I learned that we are all humans… and we have one superpower I cherish: compassion,” he wrote, adding, “To the trolls… you made my skin thicker!”
He did not respond to questions from reporters outside the courthouse.
