Embattled New York and Long Island Congress Member George Santos has been arrested on a 13-count federal indictment charging him with fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and lying to the House of Representatives.
The congressman surrendered into federal custody Wednesday morning, May 10, and will appear before a judge at the courthouse in Central Islip, Suffolk County at 1 p.m. this afternoon.
The indictment is as wide-ranging as one would expect from Santos — a Republican who flipped New York’s 3rd District in November but soon became a political pariah after it was learned he had fabricated almost his entire biography during his winning campaign.
He’s accused of defrauding the state Labor Department to receive unemployment benefits; siphoning off campaign contributions to his personal bank accounts for his own profit; and grossly exaggerating his personal wealth in campaign finance forms presented to Congress.
The alleged crimes took place both before and during his successful 2022 campaign. If convicted on all counts, Santos could face up to 20 years in prison.
“This indictment seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” said Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, in a statement. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself.”
Pocketing campaign, unemployment cash
In 2020, federal prosecutors contend that Santos lied to New York State’s Department of Labor and fraudulently obtained more than $24,000 in unemployment benefits, at a time he was employed as regional director at an investment firm making a $120,000 salary and undertaking his first unsuccessful run for Congress.
In September 2022, at the height of his winning congressional campaign, Santos allegedly pocketed $50,000 from donors who believed they were making…
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