U.S. Rep. George Santos Indicted on 13 Counts of Fraud, Money Laundering, Theft of Public Funds, and Making False Statements to the House

A federal grand jury has indicted U.S. Rep. George Santos, a New York Republican, on 13 counts of fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making false statements to the House. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday, following months of scrutiny of the freshman congressman.

Santos is accused of inducing supporters to donate to a company under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. He is also accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and applying for and receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed as regional director of an investment firm and running for Congress.

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said the indictment “seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged criminal activities.” Santos is facing seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House.

Santos was arrested Wednesday and is expected to appear in court. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and money laundering, and up to 10 years for the theft of public funds.

The indictment of Rep. Santos is a stunning development, and the outcome of the case will be closely watched. The charges against him are serious and could have significant consequences for his political career.