George Anthony Devolder Santos, 36, was sentenced to 87 months in prison on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York. U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert handed down the punishment after Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft—crimes that exposed the former congressman as a serial fraudster who exploited donors, constituents, and vulnerable people to fuel his political ambitions.

The schemes began in September 2022 during Santos' successful campaign for Congress. Operating through a limited liability company, Santos directed a Queens-based political consultant to solicit donations under false pretenses, claiming funds would support television advertising and his election. But the money never went where donors were promised. Instead, Santos embezzled campaign funds, transferred them to his personal bank account, and used stolen identities to generate additional revenue.

Among his most egregious acts was the systematic theft of identity information from campaign contributors. Santos charged their credit cards without authorization, targeting nearly a dozen people—including family members, elderly individuals, and those with cognitive impairments. He then transferred the fraudulently obtained funds to his campaign, other political campaigns, and his own accounts.

Beyond campaign fraud, Santos admitted to filing false reports with the Federal Election Commission and lying in financial disclosures submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives. He also exploited the COVID-19 pandemic, fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits during the crisis. When his indictment arrived in October 2023—carrying 23 federal counts including fraud, conspiracy, , and false statements—it marked the beginning of the end for his brief political career. He had already been expelled from Congress in 2023.