Former congressman George Santos was sentenced to over seven years in prison on Friday, capping a stunning political downfall fueled by lies, fraud, and controversy. Santos, 36, appeared in a Long Island courthouse but ignored reporters' questions.
The former New York representative had admitted to lying to campaign donors, stealing identities, and orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to fund his 2022 congressional campaign. His deception was first exposed by a local paper, The North Shore Leader, before the election.
In a defiant tone ahead of sentencing, Santos referred to himself as a “scapegoat” and accused the Justice Department of being a “cabal of pedophiles” in posts on X— comments prosecutors cited to argue against leniency. Despite telling the court he was “profoundly sorry,” Santos said his punishment was excessive. “I did this, me,” he wrote. “But saying I’m sorry doesn’t mean I have to stay quiet.”
