A tearful George Santos told reporters that he was remorseful for actions that led to a guilty plea related to fraud charges on Monday.
The former U.S. representative from New York admitted to lying about how he was going to use campaign donations and also charging credit cards without authorization.
‘It is my recognition of the lies I told myself over these past years.’
The charges carry a minimum sentence of two years in prison but he could face up to seven years.
“Today, for what may seem like the first time since he started his campaign for Congress, Mr. Santos told the truth about his criminal schemes. He admitted to lying, stealing and conning people,” read a statement from U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York.
Santos had an impromptu media briefing outside of the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York Long Island Courthouse in Islip, New York. He apologized to his former constituents in the New York’s 3rd Congressional District.
“It’s clear to me now that I allowed ambition to cloud my judgement, leading me to make decisions that were unethical and guilty,” said Santos to reporters.
“Pleading guilty is a step I never imagined I’d take, but it is a necessary one because it is the right thing to do. It’s not only a recognition of my misrepresentations to others, but more profoundly, it is my recognition of the lies I told myself over these past years,” he added.
He was expelled from Congress in 2023 and became only the sixth member to be expelled in U.S. history. He also owes at least $370,000 in restitution and agreed to forfeiting more than $200,000.
Santos, who is 36 years old, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7.
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