Former Republican New York U.S. Representative George Santos was sentenced to 87 months, over 7 years, in federal prison on Friday, April 25, 2025. U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert delivered the sentence in Central Islip, New York, marking a significant legal conclusion for the figure known for his numerous fabrications and fraudulent activities during and before his brief time in Congress. Santos appeared in court without supporters, expressing shame in a letter to the judge.
The sentencing came eight months after Santos pleaded guilty to 23 federal felony counts. These charges included serious offenses such as wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, theft of public funds, and money laundering. In addition to the prison term, Santos was ordered to pay over $370,000 in restitution to victims and forfeit more than $205,000.
The conviction stemmed from Santos’s admission to misusing campaign donor funds for personal luxury purchases, including designer goods and entertainment expenses, and illegally collecting pandemic unemployment benefits while simultaneously receiving a congressional salary. These actions, among others, led to his historic expulsion from the House of Representatives in December 2023 following a damning Ethics Committee report, making him one of the few members ever removed by colleagues.
Throughout his public life and political career, Santos cultivated an image that included claims of being an out gay Republican and Latine, despite his voting record aligning with the far right. His history was rife with documented lies, notably fabricating a connection to the Pulse nightclub shooting, which drew condemnation from LGBTQ+ advocates. Following his expulsion, Santos sought to profit from his notoriety through ventures like personalized videos and reviving a drag persona, efforts prosecutors argued showed a lack of remorse and undermined public trust.
Immediately following his sentencing, Santos publicly requested a pardon from President Donald Trump, asserting his sentence was politically motivated and “over the top.” He subsequently promoted his personalized video platform, Cameo, online, suggesting it as a way to earn money to fulfill his “judicial obligations” and pay bills, further highlighting his approach to handling his legal consequences.
