Federal prosecutors are urging a judge to sentence former New York Congressman George Santos to more than seven years behind bars, citing the severity and scope of his criminal behavior. In a court filing submitted Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York recommended an 87-month sentence, describing Santos’s actions as “unparalleled crimes.”
Santos, 36, was indicted in 2023 on 23 felony charges while still serving in Congress. He pleaded guilty to two counts—wire fraud and aggravated identity theft—after being expelled from the House. He also admitted to multiple other fraudulent acts.
Sentencing is set for April 25. Although federal guidelines suggest a term between six and seven years, the final decision rests with the presiding judge.
Prosecutors allege that in pursuit of wealth and political power, Santos fabricated much of his personal and professional history. The filing accuses him of engaging in various fraudulent schemes, such as overstating campaign fundraising totals and misappropriating donor funds. “He deceived his campaign team, donors, employers, congressional colleagues, and the public,” prosecutors wrote, calling his actions a mockery of the electoral process.
In contrast, Santos’s legal team has asked the court to consider a lighter punishment: the mandatory minimum of two years for identity theft followed by supervised release. His attorneys argue that his crimes stemmed more from poor judgment during a high-pressure campaign than from malicious intent. They emphasized that Santos has taken responsibility and agreed to repay nearly $375,000 in restitution.
They also claimed that the intense public backlash and his removal from office reduce the risk of future misconduct.
Prosecutors disagreed, asserting that the scale and predatory nature of Santos’s crimes warrant a lengthy prison term. They pointed to his continued public appearances—including a podcast titled “Pants on Fire With George Santos,” a role in a documentary, and activity on Cameo—as evidence that he is trying to turn his notoriety into profit, rather than showing genuine remorse.
Calling him “a pathological liar and fraudster,” prosecutors warned that Santos remains a threat to reoffend if not held fully accountable.
Santos’s lawyer, Joseph W. Murray, pushed back, labeling the sentencing recommendation as excessive and “embarrassing.” Murray defended Santos as a friend and “a genuinely kind young man” who has accepted responsibility and is working to rebuild his life.
On Saturday, a post from Santos’s podcast account on X (formerly Twitter) accused prosecutors of using “fancy words to tear him down,” vowing defiance: “I will NOT succumb to their soul crushing antics and that makes them furious.”
Santos rose to national attention after his 2022 election helped Republicans gain control of the House. A young, openly gay son of Brazilian immigrants, he presented himself as a rising GOP star and Donald Trump ally. But his image quickly unraveled when The New York Times revealed that large portions of his résumé were fabricated.
Subsequent investigations uncovered more falsehoods, including bogus claims of connections to the Holocaust, 9/11, and the Pulse nightclub shooting, as well as financial fraud and campaign finance violations. A damning House Ethics Committee report in late 2023 confirmed violations of federal law, leading to Santos’s expulsion from Congress.