Disgraced Ex-US Rep. George Santos Begins 7-Year Fraud Sentence at NJ Federal Prison

New York, AP — Disgraced former Rep. George Santos reported to a federal prison in New Jersey on Friday to begin serving a seven-year sentence for fraud charges that led to his expulsion from Congress.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that the New York Republican is now in custody at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, located in southern New Jersey.

Santos pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, admitting to deceiving donors and stealing identities to finance his congressional campaign.

Lawyers for Santos did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.

Known for his active online presence, Santos — who turned 37 on Tuesday — hosted a farewell party for himself on the social media platform X on Thursday night.

“Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” he wrote in a post after the event. “From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news, what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days.”

In a Thursday interview with Al Arabiya, a Saudi state-owned news outlet, Santos said he will serve his sentence at a minimum-security prison “camp,” which he described as a “big upgrade” from the medium-security facility he was originally assigned to.

In April, a federal judge rejected Santos’s request for a lighter, two-year sentence, expressing doubt about his sincerity and remorse. In the weeks leading up to his sentencing, Santos expressed that he was “profoundly sorry” for his crimes but also frequently claimed he was the target of a political witch hunt and prosecutorial overreach.

Santos was elected in 2022, flipping a wealthy district covering parts of Queens and Long Island for the GOP. However, he served less than a year before becoming only the sixth member of the House to be expelled by his colleagues after it was revealed he had fabricated significant parts of his life story.

During his successful campaign, Santos portrayed himself as a prosperous business owner who had worked for prestigious Wall Street firms, when in reality, he was facing serious financial struggles.

He also falsely claimed to have been a volleyball star at a college he never attended and described himself as “a proud American Jew,” later clarifying that he meant “Jew-ish,” referencing his Brazilian mother’s family’s Jewish heritage.

This series of lies eventually triggered both congressional and criminal investigations into how Santos financed his campaign, leading to his political downfall.

Since being expelled from Congress, Santos has been earning money by hosting a podcast titled “Pants on Fire with George Santos” and selling personalized video messages on Cameo.

He has also been holding onto hope that his steadfast support for former President Donald Trump might earn him a last-minute pardon or reprieve.

The White House said this week it “will not comment on the existence or nonexistence” of any clemency requests.

In recent media appearances, the former lawmaker openly shared his grim fears about life in prison.

“I’m not trying to be overdramatic here. I’m just being honest with you. I look at this as practically a death sentence,” Santos told Tucker Carlson in an interview. “I’m not built for this.”

On social media, his recent posts have sometimes taken a darker tone.

“I’m heading to prison, folks, and I need you to hear this loud and clear: I’m not suicidal. I’m not depressed. I have no intentions of harming myself, and I will not willingly engage in any sexual activity while I’m in there,” Santos wrote on X. “If anything comes out suggesting otherwise, consider it a lie… full stop.”