ISLIP, N.Y. – Former congressman George Santos pleaded guilty on Monday on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos now faces between two and 22 years in prison. He must also pay back over $550,000 in restitution and forfeiture following a series of schemes that included identity theft, misuse of campaign funds, credit card fraud, and lying about his finances.
Santos has been a controversial public figure for many reasons. Weeks after he began his freshman term in Congress, various news outlets reported on biographical inaccuracies and inconsistencies. Legal and ethical troubles followed him throughout his term in the House of Representatives before his peers ultimately voted to expel him from his office.
A brief history of George Santos’s controversies (so far)
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November 2022: George Santos was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing New York’s Third Congressional District. He became the first openly LGBTQ non-incumbent Republican voted into federal office.
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December 2022: News outlets began reporting on Santos’s biographical details believed to be untrue. These included grandparents escaping the Holocaust, his employment on Wall Street, and having completed a college degree. Santos came clean after having claimed journalists were “attacking” his career.
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January 2023: Brazilian authorities bring theft charges against Santos for crimes committed in 2008. Meanwhile, videos of Santos performing in drag spread on social media.
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May 2023: Santos was initially charged with multiple crimes, including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
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October 2023: A superseding indictment added more charges against Santos.
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November 2023: Santos withdrew his candidacy for re-election.
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December 2023: The House of Representatives expelled Santos in a vote of 311 to 114.
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February 2024: The former U.S. representative claimed he has made over half a million dollars selling videos on Cameo.
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March 2024: Following President Biden’s State of the Union address, Santos announced another run at Congress in another district.
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June 2024: Santos announced on X that he has joined OnlyFans, describing his account as “P.G.” The account promised “behind the scenes” footage for $29.99/month.
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August 2024: Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in federal court.
Is it illegal for members of Congress to sell content online?
The Code of Official Conduct does not specifically mention online content. Instead, the House Committee on Ethics sets standards for ethical behavior that include accepting bribes, using campaign funds for personal benefit, and avoiding conflicts of interest. The Members’ Congressional Handbook sets guidelines on social media usage for sitting representatives.
Although there may be an ethical gray area on the matter of U.S. representatives having accounts on websites like Cameo and OnlyFans, Santos was removed from Congress before he began selling content on either website.
Did George Santos post adult content to OnlyFans while in office?
There is no evidence that Santos posted adult content to OnlyFans, before or after his dismissal from the House of Representatives. A House Ethics Committee report in November 2023 revealed that Santos had used campaign funds to purchase content on OnlyFans. However, he was removed from Congress in December of 2023 and did not join OnlyFans as a content creator until June of 2024. Santos claimed that he was not posting content of a pornographic nature to the platform.
Can inmates post to social media, including OnlyFans?
OnlyFans’ terms of service do not specifically mention whether incarcerated individuals can participate on the platform. However, it requires all users to comply with local laws and regulations. Accounts purportedly managed by inmates have been suspended.
When will George Santos be sentenced?
Santos’s sentencing is scheduled for February 7, 2025.
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