Former U.S. Representative George Santos posted a theatrical farewell message on social media Thursday night, just hours before beginning an 87-month federal prison sentence for fraud and identity theft.
In a post on X, Santos reflected on his tumultuous political career. “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” he wrote. “From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days. To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it. To my critics: Thanks for the free press.”
The former New York congressman is scheduled to report to federal custody Friday. In April, U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert imposed the sentence after Santos pleaded guilty in 2024 to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and forfeit more than $205,000 in proceeds from his crimes.
An extensive investigation revealed multiple fraudulent schemes. Prosecutors detailed how Santos and his campaign treasurer fabricated donor reports to qualify for national Republican Party funding, including falsely reporting a $500,000 personal loan when he had less than $8,000 in his accounts.
According to the Department of Justice, he also stole credit card information from donors, targeting victims he knew were elderly persons with cognitive impairments, and made unauthorized charges to fund both campaign activities and personal expenses, including designer clothing. Additionally, Santos fraudulently collected over $24,000 in unemployment benefits during the pandemic while employed at an investment firm and submitted false financial disclosures to the House of Representatives.
Santos was elected to Congress in 2022, flipping New York’s 3rd District for the Republican party. His victory was quickly overshadowed by revelations that he had fabricated large parts of his résumé, including false claims about his education, work history at major Wall Street firms, and family connections to the Holocaust and the 9/11 attacks.
Following a damning ethics report, he was expelled from Congress in December 2023, becoming only the sixth member in U.S. history to be removed from the House.
Despite his conviction, Santos has remained in the public eye, selling personalized video messages on the platform Cameo. His farewell tweet concluded on a characteristic note: “I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit.”
Unless he receives a pardon, Santos is expected to remain incarcerated until early 2032. He has reportedly appealed to former President Donald Trump for clemency.
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