George Santos, U.S. congressman for less than a year, sentenced to more than 7 years in prison

Disgraced former U.S. Congress member George Santos, who lied about his life story and defrauded donors, was sentenced Friday to more than seven years in prison, sobbing as he heard his punishment.

Santos, who pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, appealed for mercy, telling a court through tears that he was “humbled” and “chastised” and realized he had betrayed his constituents’ trust. 

“I offer my deepest apologies,” he said, adding: “I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.” 

U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert evidently wasn’t convinced. “Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?” she asked as she sentenced him to 87 months behind bars. She said the former politician appeared to feel that “it’s always someone else’s fault.” 

The New York Republican served in Congress less than a year before his House of Representatives colleagues ousted him in 2023. He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen people, including his family members, to fund his winning campaign. 

As part of a plea deal, Santos has agreed to pay roughly $580,000 US in penalties in addition to prison time. 

The 36-year-old didn’t respond to reporters’ shouted questions as he walked into a Long Island courthouse, but he told The Associated Press on Thursday that he was resigned to his fate. 

“I’m doing as well as any human being would be doing given the circumstances,” Santos wrote in a text message on Thursday, adding that he was “ready to face the music.” 

‘Everyone hates George’

Prosecutor Ryan Harris said some of Santos’s victims were “extremely vulnerable,” including a woman with brain damage and two octogenarian men who have dementia. Santos has said in recent days that he has no intention of paying back victims promptly, Harris noted. 

“People think of this as a victimless crime because it’s about money. There are many victims in this crime,” added New York Labour Commissioner Roberta Reardon. She addressed the court as a victim because Santos collected unemployment benefits while employed by a Florida company. 

Defence lawyer Andrew Mancilla portrayed the ex-congressman as a troubled figure forged by adversity. Santos, who has no prior criminal record, grew up in a “broken house” and was subjected to bullying throughout his life, the attorney said. 

As a result, “he built the man he wanted to be, not who he was,” Mancilla said. “He did that because he believed that the world would not accept him for who he was.

“Deep down, he is warm, kind, caring and thoughtful,” Mancilla said. 

But, the lawyer said, now “everyone hates George Santos.”

Promotes Cameo account in final hours of freedom

Prosecutors argued in recent court filings that he “remains unrepentant” and has not shown genuine remorse, despite what he claims. They cited recent comments Santos made on social media in which he cast himself as a victim of prosecutorial overreach. 

Santos’s lawyers had called for a two-year prison stint, which is the mandatory minimum sentence for aggravated identity theft. They argued such a penalty was comparable to sentences handed to other political figures convicted of similar financial crimes. 

Santos was elected in 2022, flipping a wealthy district representing parts of Queens and Long Island from Democratic control.

WATCH l After delay, Santos is banished from Congress (2023): 

George Santos expelled from U.S. Congress

George Santos has been expelled from the United States House of Representatives after a series of criminal charges and ethics investigations. He is only the sixth person ever to be ousted from the chamber.

Soon after, it was revealed that the political unknown had fabricated much of his life story, painting himself as a successful business owner who worked at prestigious Wall Street firms and held a valuable real estate portfolio. 

In reality, Santos was struggling financially and even faced eviction. 

The revelations led to congressional and criminal inquiries into how he had funded his campaign. 

Santos made several social media posts on Thursday, including one final plug for his Cameo account, where he records personalized video messages for $100 US. 

“Think ahead and of any celebration or event coming up later this year. Book them today,” Santos wrote, ending the post with a series of heart emojis.