George Santos | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 3rd district | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – December 1, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Suozzi |
| Succeeded by | Tom Suozzi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 22, 1988 |
| Political party | Independent (2024–present)[1] |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (2019–2024) |
| Website | House website (archived) |
| Criminal information | |
| Criminal status |
|
| Conviction(s) | Brazil: Felony check fraud United States: Wire fraud and aggravated Identity theft |
George Anthony Devolder Santos (born July 22, 1988) is an American former politician and convicted felon who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district from January to December 2023, before he was expelled. He had run for the seat in 2020 but was defeated by incumbent Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi. Suozzi opted against seeking re-election in 2022, and Santos ran for Congress again. That time, Santos prevailed, defeating Democrat Robert Zimmerman. Santos, who is gay, was the first Republican to be openly LGBT before being elected to Congress.
Within six weeks of Santos's election, news outlets began reporting that much of his biography appeared to be fabricated. Santos admitted to having lied about his education and employment history, while his disclosures about his business activities, income, and personal wealth were inconsistent with one another. Further, Santos had not disclosed his criminal history or the existence of lawsuits against him. Santos was sworn in as a member of the House in January 2023, but faced ongoing media scrutiny as well as demands for his resignation from members of both parties.
On December 1, 2023, following an investigation by the House Ethics Committee and a federal indictment, the House of Representatives voted 311–114 to expel Santos. Santos is the first member of the House expelled without having previously been convicted of a crime or having fought for the Confederacy. He is also the sixth member of the House to be expelled and the first Republican. In August 2024, Santos pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud.[2][3]
- ^ Irwin, Lauren (March 22, 2024). "Santos says he's leaving GOP, will run as independent in New York House race". The Hill. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ Ashford, Grace; Gold, Michael; Fandos, Nicholas; Schweber, Nate (August 19, 2024). "George Santos Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Wire Fraud". The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
- ^ "Former Congressman George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft" (Press release). Brooklyn, New York: U.S. Department of Justice. August 20, 2024. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.