Trump says he has commuted sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case
NEW YORK (AP) – President Donald Trump said Friday that he has commuted the sentence of the former U.S. Representative. george santosWHO serving He spent more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.
The New York Republican was sentenced to prison in April after admitting last year that he deceived donors and stole the identities of 11 people, including his own family members, to donate to his campaign.
HE reported On July 25, the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton in southern New Jersey, with fewer than 50 inmates being held in a minimum-security prison camp.
“I just signed a sentence that IMMEDIATELY releases George Santos from prison,” Trump said on the social media platform.
“George Santos was a ‘thug’ of sorts, but there are many bandits in our Country who were not sentenced to seven years in prison,” he wrote.
Andrew Mancilla, one of Santos’ lawyers, said in a statement Friday that he was “very, very pleased with the decision” but that it was unclear at this stage when Santos would be released.
“The defense team applauds President Trump for doing the right thing,” Mancilla said by phone. “The sentence was too long.”
Santos has been in prison for 84 days. During his time behind bars, he wrote regularly for The South Shore Press, a local Long Island newspaper.
In his last letter, Released on October 13Santos pleaded directly with Trump, stating his loyalty to the president’s agenda and the Republican Party.
“Sir, I appeal to your sense of justice and humanity—the same qualities that inspire millions of Americans to believe in you,” he wrote. “I humbly ask that you consider the extraordinary pain and distress of this environment and grant me the opportunity to return to my family, friends, and community.”
U.S. Representative, a well-known former House colleague. Marjorie Taylor GreeneHe also called on the White House to commute his sentence in a letter sent a few days after he was imprisoned, saying the sentence was a “serious injustice” and a product of excessive judicial intervention.
The judge in the Santos case agreed with federal prosecutors that a harsher sentence was warranted because Santos did not appear remorseful, despite his and his attorneys’ claims.
Santos’ replacement is Trump’s latest high-profile operation act of mercy for former Republican politicians since taking back the White House in January.
He pardoned the former U.S. Representative in late May. Michael GrimmA New York Republican pleaded guilty in 2014 to underreporting wages and income at a restaurant he operated in Manhattan.
He also pardoned the former Governor of Connecticut. John RowlandHis promising political career was dashed by a corruption scandal and two federal prison sentences.
So was Trump himself He was convicted in a New York court last year in a case involving hush money payments. He ridiculed the case as part of a politically motivated witch hunt.
Santos was once an up-and-coming star of the GOP.
He became the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress in 2022, flipping his House seat representing Queens and parts of Long Island.
But Santos remained in office for less than a year after it was revealed that he had fabricated much of his life story. investigations He described how the then-unknown politician financed his winning campaign.
Santos, the son of Brazilian immigrants, claimed to be a successful business consultant with Wall Street credits and a large real estate portfolio.
She eventually admitted that she never graduated from Baruch College or was a standout player on Manhattan College’s volleyball team as she claimed. He had never worked at Citigroup or Goldman Sachs.
it wasn’t that Even a Jew. Santos insisted that he was “Jewish” because his mother’s family was of Jewish origin, even though he was raised Catholic.
In reality, the then-34-year-old was struggling financially and was even in danger of eviction.
Santos was indicted in 2023 Stealing from donors and campaigninghe fraudulently collects unemployment benefits and lies to Congress about his wealth.
Within months that too Expelled from the US House of Representatives — Only sixth member He will be dismissed by his colleagues on the date of the chamber.
Santos pleaded guilty The following year, just as he was about to go on trial.
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Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak contributed to this report.
