Disgraced former Republican Rep. George Santos reports to prison to begin seven-year sentence
Santos, 37, is now in custody at a federal prison in Fairton, New Jersey after pleading guilty last year to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos represented parts of Queens and Long Island, serving for barely 12 months in 2023 before he was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives.
Santos shared a goodbye post on X Thursday night, thanking his allies and critics alike.
'Well, darlings…The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,' he wrote. 'From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it's been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days.'
'To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it,' he added. 'To my critics: Thanks for the free press. I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit.'
Santos revealed he was filling out an application for a pardon from President Donald Trump during a May interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored. Santos mentioned it again Thursday while live-streaming on X, addressing a viewer's question about the pardon in the final hours before he reported to prison, ABC News reports.
'The only person that could answer that question is, you know, whoever the President of the United States is, in this case, President Donald Trump,' Santos responded.
The disgraced lawmaker also told Politico Thursday he will 'not waver' in his support for Trump.
Santos appeared on The Tucker Carlson Show two weeks ago to discuss his impending sentence. The ex-lawmaker said he doesn't know if he'll leave prison alive.
'I don't know that I survive it,' Santos said. 'They're putting me in a violent prison…I'm not a street-wise guy, I don't know how to fight.'
'I can't change that, it's sad, I have a family…I'm genuinely serious,' Santos added. 'People think I'm exaggerating when I say this: I've never had to fight a day in my life.'
Santos pleaded guilty in August after reaching a deal with prosecutors. By entering that plea, the IRS says Santos admitted that he filed fraudulent FEC reports; embezzled campaign donor funds; used credit cards without authorization; stole identities; fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits; and lied in Congressional reports.
His career in Congress was short and tumultuous.
Santos was among four New York Republicans who flipped Democratic seats during the 2022 midterms. Once he was in office, reports emerged claiming Santos misrepresented himself.
This included a New York Times report claiming there was no evidence Santos ever worked at Citigroup or Goldman Sachs, even though he listed both companies on his resume. In a later report, the Times poked holes in Santos's claim that his mother survived the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Immigration records reviewed by the outlet showed she wasn't even in the country at the time.
Santos went on to become the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigative report, which found he stole money from his campaign and lied to voters and donors. He was expelled from Congress in a 311 to 114 vote on December 1, 2023. The Justice Department went on to indict him on 23 counts.
Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced Santos in April, asking him, 'Where's the remorse? Where do I see it?'
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