New York Republican Rep. George Santos, who fabricated parts of his life story, has been charged with fraud, theft, and making false statements to Congress. Santos pleaded not guilty to the 13-count federal indictment, and despite calls for his resignation, he has refused to drop his reelection bid.
The indictment accused Santos of overlapping fraud and deceit, including using his campaign’s funds for personal expenses and lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms. Prosecutors also said Santos cheated to collect unemployment benefits, despite making $120,000 annually. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
