Former US lawmaker George Santos sentenced to prison

Former United States Representative George Santos, 36, was on Friday sentenced to prison on federal wire fraud and identity theft charges.

Judge Joanna Seybert of New York’s Eastern District sentenced him to 87 months behind bars and ordered him to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution.

Santos, who agreed to pay a $200,000 forfeiture, faced nearly a dozen criminal charges before pleading guilty to two counts last August.

The former congressman, according to federal prosecutors, lied about large parts of his backstory to defraud voters and donors in New York’s 3rd Congressional District.

U.S. Attorney for New York’s Eastern District, John Durham, said Santos’ crimes were an affront to the electoral process, representative government, and the city’s 3rd Congressional District.

Speaking outside the courthouse, the attorney expressed satisfaction that the former lawmaker had been held accountable for his years of fraud, deceit, and theft.

Durham said Santos is going to prison for mocking institutions, betraying and defrauding his supporters, voters, donors, and federal and state agencies.

“Today’s sentence demonstrates that this egregious conduct will not, and never will be, tolerated,” he stated.

Santos earlier asked the judge for leniency, saying he accepts responsibility for his actions that cost him his congressional seat, reputation, livelihood, and the confidence of the people.