Less than three years ago, George Santos emerged as a promising figure in the Republican Party by overturning a Democratic hold in a suburban New York City House seat. However, his rapid ascent in politics soon faced a drastic turn. On a notable day, Santos, the former congressman, returned to Long Island under unfavorable circumstances: he received a prison sentence of over seven years due to charges of fraud and theft.
Let’s delve into the significant events marking Santos’ rise and subsequent fall from grace:
On November 8, 2022, Santos secured a victory against Democrat Robert Zimmerman in what was heralded as the first congressional contest featuring two openly gay candidates.
Following this success, on December 19, 2022, The New York Times investigated Santos, bringing to light potential fabrications within his resume.
As the scrutiny intensified, Santos confessed on December 26, 2022, to embellishing parts of his biography. He falsely claimed to possess a degree from Baruch College and to have worked for prestigious firms such as Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Furthermore, while he initially portrayed himself as “a proud American Jew,” he later clarified that he identified as “Jew-ish.” In response, prosecutors in Nassau County launched an inquiry into Santos on December 28, 2022.
Despite these allegations, Santos began serving in Congress in January 2023. Nonetheless, inconsistencies in campaign financing records quickly began to cast shadows over his financial dealings.
Under mounting pressure, Santos vacated his committee assignments on January 31, 2023, but resolutely refused to resign from office.
By February 2023, further complications arose as accusations were made against Santos for allegedly using falsified checks to acquire puppies in Pennsylvania in 2017. Although the case was dropped, Santos claimed his checks originated from a stolen checkbook.
On March 2, 2023, the House Ethics Committee commenced a formal investigation into Santos.
Subsequently, on May 10, 2023, Santos faced a federal indictment, pleading not guilty to charges of defrauding donors, improperly collecting unemployment benefits, and misrepresenting his financial status to Congress.
Later in the year, on October 10, 2023, fresh accusations suggested Santos used donors’ identities without consent, leading to unauthorized credit card charges. Santos continued to maintain his innocence against these revised allegations.
The ethical scrutiny reached a crescendo on November 16, 2023, when the House Ethics Committee’s report declared “overwhelming evidence” of Santos’ illegal activities, affirming that he was “untrustworthy.”
As a consequence, on December 1, 2023, the House expelled Santos, with a decisive vote of 311-114, surpassing the required two-thirds majority.
Post-expulsion, Santos attempted to reconnect with the public by selling personalized video messages through Cameo, charging up to $200 each in December 2023.
In February 2024, Santos took legal action against late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, accusing him of orchestrating a deception involving Cameo videos that Kimmel mocked on his show.
However, his political aspirations dwindled by April 23, 2024, as Santos abandoned his independent bid for Congress, highlighted by his campaign committee’s reported lack of funds raised in March of that year.
The legal proceedings took a pivotal turn on August 19, 2024, when Santos entered a guilty plea for charges related to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos attributed his legal woes to his unchecked ambition and expressed profound remorse. Concurrently, a judge dismissed Santos’ lawsuit against Kimmel, ruling that Kimmel’s use of the Cameo clips was protected under fair use for criticism and commentary.
Finally, on April 25, 2025, in a federal courtroom, Santos received his sentencing: a prison term exceeding seven years, marking a dramatic conclusion to his swift and controversial political journey.