Disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who lied about his past and swindled donors, is set to surrender to the courts at the end of July to begin his seven year sentence after a tumultuous chapter marked by political ascension, scandal, and legal battles. Here’s three things to know about his sentence.
1: What Santos did
Elected in 2022 to represent New York's 3rd Congressional District, encompassing parts of Queens and Long Island, Santos quickly gained attention for flipping a traditionally Democratic seat.
However, his tenure was short-lived. Investigations revealed that Santos had fabricated significant portions of his biography, including his education, employment history, and personal background.
Further scrutiny uncovered financial misconduct, leading to his expulsion from the House of Representatives in December 2023, making him only the sixth member in U.S. history to be expelled. Santos pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud in August 2024.
During the hearing, Santos admitted to his role in orchestrating a scheme to defraud campaign donors and lying about his finances in documents submitted to the Federal Election Commission. Two of his former campaign aides, his campaign treasurer Nancy Marks and ex-fundraiser Sam Miele, had pleaded guilty in 2023 to financial crimes relating to his campaign.
2: How long he will serve
Santos is set to surrender to the courts on July 25 for his 87-month sentence. After serving his time in prison, he will be under supervised release for two years.
From 2020 to 2022, Santos stole donors’ identities to make unauthorized credit card charges, funneling funds to his campaign, other candidates, and his own accounts. He masked the source by falsely listing relatives and associates as contributors in FEC filings. In 2022, Santos used a shell company to solicit $50,000 from two donors under false claims about campaign advertising, then spent the money on luxury items, debt payments and cash withdrawals.
He also fraudulently collected more than $24,000 in unemployment benefits while employed and campaigning. In financial disclosures to the House, Santos overstated his income and assets—claiming millions from a company he controlled—while failing to report actual earnings and benefits. Prosecutors say he knowingly submitted false filings and used campaign donations for personal gain.
3: How much he owes
The disgraced former representative was also fined heavily as part of his sentencing. In addition to prison time, Santos was ordered to pay restitution totaling more than $373,000, reflecting the amount he stole through various fraud schemes.
According to prosecutors, $200 of that amount was repaid on April 25, the day of his sentencing. Santos was also ordered to forfeit more than $200,000, which will be distributed to victims named in the case. Combined, the restitution and forfeiture total approximately $578,752.
Prosecutors said the financial penalties reflect the seriousness of Santos’ repeated deception involving campaign donors, unemployment insurance, and fraudulent financial disclosures.
The court emphasized that Santos used his position and influence for personal gain while betraying the public trust. While the exact timeline for repayment remains unclear, failure to comply with the court’s financial orders could result in further legal consequences. Santos has not publicly commented on the financial penalties.
