Santos, one of only six members of the House of Representatives ever to be expelled, pleaded guilty in 2024 to a range of charges, including campaign finance fraud, donor identity theft, and false COVID-era unemployment claims. He was sentenced to over seven years in prison and ordered to pay restitution and forfeit fraud proceeds.
Prosecutors detailed how Santos and his campaign treasurer falsified donor reports to receive party funding, stole credit card information from donors, and fraudulently claimed unemployment benefits during the pandemic. Santos was expelled from Congress in 2023 after a damning ethics report exposed his false claims about his background.
Despite his impending incarceration, Santos has continued to engage in public activities like selling video messages and posting on social media. He has reportedly appealed to President Donald Trump for clemency. The White House and Santos have not commented on the situation.
