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George Santos, ex-NY Rep. who lied during his campaign, reports to prison
By
Ben Feuerherd
and
Samantha Max
Published Jul 25, 2025
Modified Jul 25, 2025
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Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
By
Ben Feuerherd
and
Samantha Max
Published Jul 25, 2025
Modified Jul 25, 2025
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Former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who admitted to lying during his campaign and stealing from his donors, reported to federal prison Friday.
Santos will serve his time at FCI Fairton in southern New Jersey, Emery Nelson, a spokesperson for the federal Bureau of Prisons said.
A judge sentenced the ex-New York lawmaker to more than seven years in prison after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft. The judge also ordered him to pay more than $370,000 in restitution.
Santos, who once represented parts of Queens and Long Island, faced multiple investigations into his conduct. He was formally expelled from Congress in late 2023 after a House ethics committee found “substantial evidence” of misconduct and illegal activity.
Federal prosecutors said Santos filed fraudulent campaign documents, stole the identities and financial information of people who contributed to his campaign, charged credit cards without permission, wrongfully obtained unemployment insurance and lied to the U.S. House of Representatives. They also said he embezzled donations and spent the money on personal expenses, including designer clothing.
"This plea is not just an admission of guilt,” Santos told reporters outside the courthouse after he pleaded guilty last year. “It's an acknowledgement that I need to be held accountable like any other American that breaks the law."
In the days leading up to his prison term, Santos has repeatedly posted on social media, expressing a mix of sadness, remorse, life advice and defiance. On X, he posted a clip of Frank Sinatra singing “My Way,” a video of a bear walking with its cubs in the woods and multiple condemnations of federal prosecutors.
Donald Murphy, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, declined to share which facility Santos will go to until after he arrives, citing safety concerns. He said the Bureau of Prisons makes assignments based on various factors, including the level of supervision the person needs and any necessary security measures to ensure the person’s protection.
Earlier this year, Santos told British media personality Piers Morgan that he was in the process of filling out a clemency application to seek a pardon or sentence commutation from President Donald Trump.
“I think no one better than President Trump to know what a weaponized Justice Department looks like, and this is exactly it,” he said. “Seven years and three months for a first-time offender over campaign matters just screams over the top.”
This story has been updated.
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Ben Feuerherd
Ben Feuerherd covers public safety and policing for WNYC and Gothamist. He previously covered federal courts for The New York Post and The Messenger. His work has also appeared in POLITICO, the Daily Beast and NBC New York. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Samantha Max
Samantha reports on whether New Yorkers feel safe and whether the institutions that are supposed to protect them are working. Before coming to WNYC/Gothamist, she spent three years covering the criminal justice system in Tennessee for Nashville Public Radio. Her reporting on Nashville's police department received multiple awards, including the Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize. Samantha was also part of the inaugural class of Report for America, a service journalism program that sends up-and-coming reporters to local newsrooms across the country. She is a Northwestern University grad, a Baltimore native and fluent in Spanish. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal: samanthamaxwnyc.93.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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