George Santos

George Santos
Born	George Anthony Devolder Santos 22 7, 1988
Nationality	American
Occupation	Former politician
Known for	Serving as U.S. Representative for New York's 3rd congressional district (2023); expulsion from Congress; criminal conviction for wire fraud and identity theft

George Anthony Devolder Santos (born July 22, 1988) is an American former politician and convicted felon who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district from January to December 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Santos won election to Congress in 2022, defeating Democrat Robert Zimmerman and becoming the first openly LGBTQ Republican elected to Congress as a freshman. Within weeks of his election, however, journalists uncovered that Santos had fabricated much of his personal biography, including claims about his education and employment history. Despite mounting calls for his resignation from members of both parties, Santos was sworn in and served for nearly a year before the United States House of Representatives voted 311–114 to expel him on December 1, 2023. He was the first member of Congress expelled without having previously been convicted of a crime or having supported the Confederacy, and the first Republican ever expelled from the House. Following a federal indictment, Santos pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud in August 2024 and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison in April 2025. In October 2025, President Donald Trump commuted Santos's sentence, making him eligible for immediate release.

Early Life

George Anthony Devolder Santos was born on July 22, 1988. During his political career, Santos claimed to have been born in New York City, though many details of his early biography became subjects of scrutiny after his election to Congress. Santos is of Brazilian descent. His personal history became one of the most contentious aspects of his political career, as multiple claims he made about his background were later found to be fabricated or misleading.

Santos had a criminal record in Brazil, where he was charged with felony check fraud. This criminal history was not disclosed during his campaigns for Congress.

Much of what Santos publicly stated about his early life—including claims about his family's heritage and his personal experiences—was later called into question by investigative journalists following his 2022 election. Santos at various times made claims about his family's connection to the Holocaust and his mother's presence at the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks, assertions that could not be substantiated. The extent of the fabrications in Santos's personal biography was unusual in American politics.

Legal Issues

In August 2024, Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, admitting to a pattern of deception that included fabricating campaign donors, stealing the identities of his own contributors to make unauthorized credit card charges, and fraudulently collecting COVID-19 unemployment benefits while employed. He was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison at FCI Fairton, a minimum-security facility. Santos served 84 days of his sentence before President Donald Trump commuted his sentence on October 17, 2025, resulting in his immediate release and eliminating his obligation to pay approximately $374,000 in restitution to his victims.

External links

• George Santos on Prisonpedia