In a dramatic turn of events Samuel Miele, the former campaign fundraiser for Representative George Santos, entered a guilty plea in a federal court, admitting to a wire fraud charge as part of a plea deal. Miele, who worked for Santos during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles, had been indicted in August for soliciting contributions under false pretenses.
The charges against Miele involved using the identity of a former aide to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to solicit donations from over a dozen potential contributors. Reports indicate that Miele created an email account impersonating the McCarthy staffer, sending fundraising solicitations signed with the aide's full name and title. The fraudulent scheme resulted in a loss of approximately $100,000, according to a spokesperson for the Eastern District US Attorney’s office.
Although initially facing four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, Miele's guilty plea only covers the wire fraud charge and access device fraud. Notably, he did not plead guilty to identity theft, a detail that stands out in the plea agreement.
This development follows Santos' own legal troubles, as the New York Republican representative faces 23 counts of federal fraud and money laundering charges. Santos, who declared 2023 as a year of "hell" due to criminal charges and missteps, has maintained his innocence and is actively running for re-election to his Long Island-based congressional seat.
This guilty plea adds to the growing list of legal issues surrounding Santos' campaign. Last month, Nancy Marks, the campaign's former treasurer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to campaign finance felonies. Marks had overseen the campaign's finances before being dismissed amidst allegations of wrongdoing.
