George Santos was arrested Wednesday morning and will appear before Judge Anne Y. Shields in Central Islip District Court, East New York State.
The congressman faces 13 charges: seven for electronic fraud, three for money laundering, one for theft of government money and two for making materially false statements before the House of Representatives of Congress, the US attorney general said. eastern district of New York in a position.
“This indictment is intended to hold Santos accountable for several alleged fraudulent schemes and untruths,” said District Attorney Breon Peace.
Santos is accused of resorting to “repeated dishonesty and deceit to climb the halls of Congress and enrich himself,” Peace added.
The politician is said to have funneled money from donors to his personal account and made false statements to Congress about his wealth and income.
“He used political contributions to line his pockets, illegally applied for unemployment benefits that should have gone to New Yorkers who lost their jobs due to the (covid-19) pandemic, and lied to the House of Representatives,” the letter said. the desk.
If found guilty, the 34-year-old Republican congressman could be sentenced to at least 20 years in prison.
Santos acknowledged fabricating part of his biography. He lied about his real name, his religion – he declared himself Jewish -, his education and even his professional career when he ran for a congressional seat for a jurisdiction on Long Island, New York.
Santos was also accused of sexual harassment by a man who allegedly got a job at his office, but was fired after rejecting the Republican’s overtures.
Many voters called for his impeachment, as did his fellow Republicans and Democratic incumbents, but so far he remains in office.
In an interview given to television early this year, Santos admitted that he had lied about his resume.
“I’ve been a terrible liar” about some things, he said. “It wasn’t about cheating people, but about (the intent to) be accepted by the party,” he claimed.
Source: DN
