George Santos Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison

Former U.S. Representative George Santos has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, concluding a scandal that began with his 2022 congressional campaign. Santos admitted to defrauding donors, stealing the identities of nearly a dozen people—including family members—to fund his campaign, filing false FEC reports, misusing political donations for personal luxury items, and fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits. Prosecutors cited his ongoing lack of remorse, while Santos maintained he was 'profoundly sorry' but called the sentence excessive. He was also ordered to pay between $374,000 and $580,000 in restitution and forfeitures. The scandal resulted in his expulsion from Congress in December 2023, making him only the sixth U.S. Representative ever expelled. Santos’s fabricated biography was first exposed by local media and later investigated federally.