Secret Service Investigating Allegations of Fraud Scheme Orchestrated by Rep. George Santos of New York

The U.S. Secret Service has received a sworn declaration from a Brazilian man, Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha, claiming that Rep. George Santos of New York was “in charge of” a fraud scheme that led to Trelha’s arrest in 2017 for installing skimmers at a Seattle bank ATM. According to court filings, Trelha told police at the time of his arrest that his actions were part of a scheme orchestrated by Santos.

Santos has denied the allegations, telling reporters, “I never did anything of criminal activity and I’m no mastermind of anything.” However, the Secret Service has interviewed Santos in 2017 and the investigation remains open.

The sworn declaration is a “significant” development, according to A.T. Smith, a former deputy director of the Secret Service. It is unclear what the House Ethics Committee investigation into Santos could look like, but it is likely that the Secret Service will need to conduct a thorough investigation.

Trelha pleaded guilty in 2017 to a charge of “access device fraud” in federal court in Seattle for a scam involving a card skimmer that lifted card numbers and passwords from ATMs. He served about six months in jail before he was deported back to Brazil, court records show.

The House Ethics Committee has yet to comment on the allegations against Santos, but the investigation could have serious implications for the New York congressman. It remains to be seen what the outcome of the investigation will be, but it is clear that the Secret Service will need to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.