Former congressman George Santos begins seven-year prison sentence

July 25, 2025

Former congressman George Santos has begun serving a seven-year prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey, after pleading guilty to federal charges including wire fraud and identity theft. The 37-year-old was expelled from Congress following allegations that he misused campaign funds, laundering over $44,000 to finance personal expenses and luxury items while also illegally claiming unemployment benefits. Santos, who gained attention by flipping a New York district to Republican control in 2022, had fabricated significant portions of his background, including false claims about his education, work experience, and family history.

Who is affected

George Santos (former congressman)
Santos' campaign contributors who were defrauded
Voters in the New York district (Long Island and Queens) previously represented by Santos
The Federal Election Commission (FEC)
The Republican Party, which lost a representative

What action is being taken

Santos is currently serving his prison sentence at Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey
Santos is required to pay at least $374,000 in restitution
The Bureau of Prisons is confirming Santos' custody status

Why it matters

Santos became only the sixth member in history to be expelled from Congress
The case highlights significant fraud against campaign contributors who were unaware they were being defrauded
Santos' actions involved multiple federal crimes including wire fraud, identity theft, and misuse of campaign funds
His expulsion in 2023 was the first removal of a congressional member in over 20 years
The district he won flipped from Democratic to Republican control, having political implications

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC