Santos has vowed to stay in office, saying only the voters could force him out, much to the displeasure of New York Republicans who view him as a stain on their party. He recently brokered a deal to settle Brazilian charges tied to a 2008 fraud case involving the theft of $1,300 in clothes and shoes, according to CNN. In addition to the federal charges out of New York, Santos is facing a House ethics investigation into possible “unlawful activity” related to his run as well as probes by the New York attorney general and two state district attorneys.

Santos has claimed he merely embellished his resume but never did anything unlawful. His claims about working for Goldman Sachs, having Jewish ancestry and even running pet charities were largely untrue. Santos, who captured a Long Island swing seat last November, pioneered a new kind of political scandal by fabricating his entire campaign biography. The charges against Santos come after months of questions surrounding the New York Republican. In May 2020, during his first campaign for office, he filed two disclosures in which he failed to disclose his compensation from the investment firm and over-reported the amount he earned from another company, prosecutors said.Īnd in September 2022, during his second congressional campaign, he overstated his income and assets on another disclosure form while also failing to disclose that he received about $28,000 from the investment firm and more than $20,000 in unemployment benefits. In the second scheme, Santos applied for and received more than $24,000 in unemployment benefits even though he was employed as a regional director of a Florida-based investment firm, where he earned an annual salary of $120,000, according to prosecutors.Īnd in the third, he made false statements to the House of Representatives, misleading Congress and the public about his financial condition, according to the indictment. Rather than going to Santos’ political efforts, however, the money was then transferred to his personal bank accounts and eventually used for personal expenses including paying personal debts, withdrawing cash and purchasing luxury clothing, according to the indictment. As a result, two donors each gave $25,000, prosecutors allege. In the first, according to the indictment, Santos directed a Queens-based political consultant to speak to prospective donors and ask them to donate to a limited-liability company supporting his campaign.

Prosecutors allege Santos engaged in three schemes. His next court appearance is set for June 30.

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