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George Santos faces sentencing Friday connected Long Island
Former U.S. Rep. George Santos faces sentencing Friday connected Long Island. He pleaded blameworthy past August to national ligament fraud and individuality theft charges, admitting helium exaggerated oregon fabricated ample parts of his backstory.
In a sentencing papers filed earlier this month, prosecutors elaborate however Santos lied, stole and defrauded voters and donors. They said helium didn't conscionable pad his resume; helium utilized "a wholly fictitious biography to enrich himself and seizure 1 of the highest offices."
How agelong does George Santos look successful prison?
The U.S. Department of Justice wants Santos to service 87 months successful prison, portion his lawyers are seeking conscionable 24 months.
In another caller filing, the DOJ said helium remains "unrepentant for his crimes" and pointed to assorted societal media posts it said are "hardly an look of 'genuine remorse.'"
Santos wrote to the justice earlier this week asking for leniency and saying helium accepts responsibility.
"This lawsuit has outgo maine my legislature seat, my reputation, my livelihood, and, astir achy of all, the assurance of radical who believed successful me. Every sunrise since that plea has carried the aforesaid realization: I did this, me. I americium responsible," Santos wrote. "But saying I'm atrocious doesn't necessitate maine to beryllium softly portion these prosecutors effort to driblet an anvil connected my head."
CBS News reached Santos by telephone arsenic helium was driving to tribunal Friday greeting and helium said helium was resigned to the information the justice could enforce a stiff sentence. He said helium has "no expectations" astir the judge's determination oregon erstwhile helium volition person to study to prison.
He antecedently told his followers helium plans to petition solitary confinement.
Sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. successful Central Islip.
Who is George Santos and what did helium do?
Santos helped Republicans secure the House of Representatives successful the 2022 midterm elections, representing New York's 3rd Congressional District which covers parts of Queens and Nassau County.
Before he was adjacent sworn into office, his lies started to untangle.
Federal investigators filed the archetypal charges against Santos successful May 2023, followed by additional charges that October. The House Ethics Committee released a scathing 56-page study the pursuing month, detailing the scope of his misconduct.
Santos was ousted from Congress weeks later, becoming just the sixth House subordinate to beryllium expelled in U.S. history.
Prosecutors: Santos "made a mockery" of predetermination system
In the sentencing papers from earlier this month, prosecutors accidental his behaviour "made a mockery of our predetermination system." They accidental helium presented mendacious fiscal disclosures to Congress claiming helium was a multi-millionaire and solicited a vendor to forge a Baruch College diploma.
Prosecutors accidental these were "intentional and bald-faced lies" of a "professional fraudster" -- "a fictitious nationalist representation of a highly educated, independently affluent businessman."
The papers references fake donations successful the names of relatives, a recognition paper fraud strategy that stole from aged and cognitively impaired donors to buy decorator goods, and different that created a fake nonprofit to solicit donations.
It besides says Santos claimed helium loaned his run $500,000 erstwhile helium had little than $10,000 to his name, and that helium collected unemployment benefits portion moving for a steadfast that was aboriginal exposed arsenic a Ponzi scheme.
As portion of his plea deal, helium agreed to wage more than $575,000 successful restitution and forfeiture.
Read the afloat sentencing memo
Michael Kaplan contributed to this report.
Renee Anderson is simply a integer shaper astatine CBS New York, wherever she covers breaking quality and different section stories. Before joining the squad successful 2016, Renee worked astatine WMUR-TV.
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