Current Events > Rep. George Santos charged by Justice Department in federal probe

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/09/politics/george-santos-charged-justice-department/index.html

Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against New York Rep. George Santos, the Republican lawmaker whose astonishing pattern of lies and fabrications stunned even hardened politicos, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Santos is expected to appear as soon as Wednesday at federal court in New Yorks eastern district, where the charges have been filed under seal. The exact nature of the charges couldnt immediately be learned but the FBI and the Justice Department public integrity prosecutors in New York and Washington have been examining allegations of false statements in Santos campaign finance filings and other claims. The congressmans attorney declined to comment. Spokespeople for the Brooklyn US Attorneys Office, the Justice Department and the FBI declined to comment. The freshman congressman, who was elected last year to represent a district that includes parts of Long Island and Queens, has been under investigation in multiple jurisdictions and by the House Ethics Committee. Top Democrats, joined by some New York Republicans, have been calling on Santos to resign over allegations ranging from criminal behavior on the campaign trail to petty personal dishonesty stretching back more than a decade.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he will look at the charges before determining if he thinks Santos should be removed from Congress. Ill look at the charges, the California Republican told CNN on Tuesday. During his brief time in office, Santos has been accused of breaking campaign finance laws, violating federal conflict of interest laws, stealing cash meant for an Iraq War veterans dying dog, masterminding a credit card fraud scheme and lying about where he went to school and worked. Santos has admitted to making some misleading claims about his education and financial status, but continues to deny the more serious allegations. During his victorious campaign last year, Santos ran according to the Republican midterm playbook, hammering his Democratic opponent over crime and inflation. The message resonated in the New York suburbs, where GOP candidates flipped four seats on their way to winning a narrow House majority.

Amazing that the Justice Department would turn on the very man who founded them.

Oh wow. I wasn't expecting them to actually do it while he was in office.

TomClark posted...

Amazing that the Justice Department would turn on the very man who founded them.

yeah kinda wild they'd do that to a founding father of the country

lol

Couldn't have happened to a more upstanding guy

it's about time

ridiculous that no one vetted this guy

It'll be a $1000 fine

They really gonna do that to the man who eradicated polio?

isn;t that the guy who invented god?

That man's mom died twice, once in 9/11 and then again to cancer. They should show respect to someone who's suffered such tragedy.

Eh he'll be fine, he already survived one crucifixion.

TheGreatEscape posted...

yeah kinda wild they'd do that to a founding father of the country

And to the High King of England. If they can get him, they can get anyone.

Guys there seems to be a misunderstanding here. I just asked George Santos if he was being charged with anything by the DOJ and he said "no"

It's funny. I was thinking the other day that our protests were wearing off and maybe he'd get away with it for a few more months.

Lo and behold, he's indicted the next day.

I've never been so happy to see my congressman get arrested and booked. That should hopefully be today. I'm not interested in any deals to schedule the arraignment.

https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf

The indictment has been released and it's 13 counts, apparently. I'm still reading through it.

CableZL posted...

https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf

The indictment has been released and it's 13 counts, apparently. I'm still reading through it.

Is there a non pdf version / summary anywhere?

Holy shit he's actually in custody

Tyranthraxus posted...

Is there a non pdf version / summary anywhere?

I'll post a summary in a bit

Finally Santos L. Halper has been brought to justice

Tyranthraxus posted...

Is there a non pdf version / summary anywhere?

The fun part starts on page 12.

I'm no lawyer, but this is what I'm seeing:
Counts 1-8: campaign funds embezzlement/fraud
Count 9: entitlement (looks like CARES Act) fraud
Counts 10-11: unemployment fraud
Counts 12-13: lying to get into office

Tyranthraxus posted...

Is there a non pdf version / summary anywhere?

I saw wire fraud on it

If it could happen to him, then it could happen to any of us. If lying is some sort of big deal, then they could get any of us for lying on our taxes or committing perjury when we do it.

Irony posted...

I saw wire fraud on it

A lot of fraud and 2 charges of lying to the House of Representatives.

Apparently he turned himself in. I wonder if he's going to issue a resignation.

TomClark posted...

Amazing that the Justice Department would turn on the very man who founded them.

TheGreatEscape posted...

yeah kinda wild they'd do that to a founding father of the country

Etc.

These never get old lol

Counts 1 - 5: Wire Fraud - Fraudulent Political Contribution Solicitation Scheme

• Email on behalf of Company #1 to Contributor #1 falsely stating that funds received from Contributor #1 would be used in support of George Santos' candidacy for the house.
• Email on behalf of Company #1 to Contributor #2 falsely stating that funds received from contributor #2 would be used to independently support George Santos' candidacy for the House and that Company #1 was a Section 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that could accept limitless contributions
• Email on behalf of Company #1 to Contributor #1 falsely stating that funds received from Contributor #1 would be used, in part, to purchase television advertisements supporting George Santos' candidacy for the house.
• Text message from George Santos to Contributor #2 falsely stating that funds received from Contributor #2 would be used, in part, to purchase television advertisements supporting George Santos' candidacy for the House.
• Text message on behalf of Company #1 to Contributor #1 falsely stating that funds received from Contributor #1 would be used, in part, to purchase television advertisements supporting George Santos' candidacy for the House.

Counts 6 - 8: Unlawful Monetary Transactions over $10,000

• 10/21/2022: George Santos transferred ~$25,000 fraudulently obtained from Contributor #2 from Company #1 to his personal bank account #1.
• 10/26/2022: George Santos transferred ~$25,000 fraudulently obtained form Contributor #1 from Company #1 to his personal bank account #2.
• 10/26/2022: George Santos transferred ~$24,000 fraudulently obtained from Contributor #1 from bank account #2 to bank account #1.

Count 9: Theft of Public Money

• Between June 2020 and April 2021, George Santos used over $1,000 of the money he received from donors to his House candidacy for personal expenses.

Counts 10 and 11: Wire Fraud - Fraudulent Application for Receipt of Unemployment Benefits

• 1/19/2021: George Santos received $564 from the NYS DOL (New York State Department of Labor) to bank account #2 electronically.
• 1/26/2021: George Santos George Santos received $564 from the NYS DOL to bank account #2 electronically.

Count 12: False Statements - 2020 House Disclosure Reports (He ran for election in 2020 and lost)

• George said on his House income disclosure form that his only earned income consisted of a $55,000 salary from Company #2 and the only compensation exceeding $5,000 was a bonus from a company he had an ownership stake in (Company #2). He had earned $27,555 from Company #2 in 2019 and had received ~$25,403 from Investment Firm #1 during the same reporting period and didn't report it.

Count 13: False Statements - 2022 House Disclosure Report (He ran for election in 2022 and won)

• George Santos falsely stated that in 2021 and 2022 up to the filing date that his earned income was $750,000 from Devolder Organization LLC, and he got dividends from the same company valued between $1,000,001 and $5,000,000 and he had no compensation exceeding $5,000 from a single source in which he had an ownership interest. George Santos also falsely stated that he owned a checking account with deposits totaling between $100,001 and $250,000 and he owned a savings account with deposits totaling between $1,000,001 and $5,000,000. He did not receive this income and he did not own any such checking or savings accounts. He received $28,107 in income from Investment Firm #1 and ~$20,304 in unemployment benefits from NYS DOL, which he failed to report.

Holy shit

Yep, he's going to prison.

This is essentially attacking the literal America.

Not the notion or idea of America, but actual America.

I wonder if they would turn him over to Brazil. They're pursuing criminal charges against him, too, but couldn't find him until he started running for office in the US.

They put together this case pretty quickly. Good for them.

CableZL posted...

Yep, he's going to prison.

Apparently maximum 20 years.

CableZL posted...

I wonder if they would turn him over to Brazil.

hold on, what?

CableZL posted...

I wonder if they would turn him over to Brazil. They're pursuing criminal charges against him, too, but couldn't find him until he started running for office in the US.

The Brazil charge isn't that serious it's just a small (comparatively) amount of fraud related to bad checks. However we have an extradition treaty with Brazil. I don't think we can legally extradite him while he's still in office but he definitely won't be by 2025 and if he's still in custody at that time he will get extradited.

Questionmarktarius posted...

hold on, what?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/j
an/03/george-santos-brazil-reactivates-fraud-case

He's accused of using a stolen check book and a fake name in Brazil. They had a criminal case going against him, but they lost track of him and they froze the case. When he won his election in 2022 in the US, they realized he was the same guy they had been looking for. The case was revived and I believe they said they were proceeding with it even in his absence.

CableZL posted...

Count 12: False Statements - 2020 House Disclosure Reports (He ran for election in 2020 and lost)
George said on his House income disclosure form that his only earned income consisted of a $55,000 salary from Company #2 and the only compensation exceeding $5,000 was a bonus from a company he had an ownership stake in (Company #2). He had earned $27,555 from Company #2 in 2019 and had received ~$25,403 from Investment Firm #1 during the same reporting period and didn't report it.

Count 13: False Statements - 2022 House Disclosure Report (He ran for election in 2022 and won)
George Santos falsely stated that in 2021 and 2022 up to the filing date that his earned income was $750,000 from Devolder Organization LLC, and he got dividends from the same company valued between $1,000,001 and $5,000,000 and he had no compensation exceeding $5,000 from a single source in which he had an ownership interest. George Santos also falsely stated that he owned a checking account with deposits totaling between $100,001 and $250,000 and he owned a savings account with deposits totaling between $1,000,001 and $5,000,000. He did not receive this income and he did not own any such checking or savings accounts. He received $28,107 in income from Investment Firm #1 and ~$20,304 in unemployment benefits from NYS DOL, which he failed to report.

Does he just lie for the sake of lying? He seemingly randomly just overreports and underreports.

CableZL posted...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/j
an/03/george-santos-brazil-reactivates-fraud-case

ohshit.
I don't think he'll be extradited, when he's facing much more substantial charges here. Maybe after he's out of prison, or gets acquitted somehow.

Serious_Cat posted...

Does he just lie for the sake of lying? He seemingly randomly just overreports and underreports.

Yes he seems to be a mythomane. lying is compulsory for him.

Found a pic of him being arrested lying again.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/0/0/AAJHVqAAEVZI.jpg

They actually have tapes of George Santos talking about this scheme holy shit hes screwed

He had a journalist recording stuff for a documentary and he was openly talking about doing this shit. Wow.