CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� Disgraced former U.S. Rep. was sentenced Friday to over seven years in prison, sobbing as he learned his punishment for the crimes that led to his expulsion from Congress.
Santos, who last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, appealed for mercy. In a federal court a short drive from his old congressional district, he said through tears that he was 鈥渉umbled鈥� and 鈥渃hastised鈥� and realized he had betrayed his constituents' trust.
鈥淚 offer my deepest apologies,鈥� he said, adding: 鈥淚 cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.鈥�
U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert evidently wasn't convinced.
鈥淲here is your remorse? Where do I see it?鈥� she asked as she sentenced him to 87 months behind bars. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always someone else鈥檚 fault.鈥�
The New York Republican served in Congress barely a year before becoming just the of the House to be ousted by colleagues.
He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen people, including his family members, to fund his winning campaign. His plea deal included agreeing to pay roughly $580,000 in penalties.
鈥淔rom the moment he declared his candidacy for Congress, Santos leveraged his campaign for his own enrichment and financial benefit,鈥� U.S. Attorney John Durham, whose office prosecuted the case, said outside court.
Santos, 36, is due to report to prison July 25. He didn't respond to reporters' shouted questions outside the courthouse, but he had told The Associated Press by text Thursday that he was 鈥渞eady to face the music.鈥�
Santos鈥� victims included a woman with brain damage and two octogenarian men, prosecutor Ryan Harris told the judge.
Speaking in court, New York Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon argued that the victims of Santos鈥� crimes even included jobless and struggling New Yorkers.
Before winning office, Santos collected unemployment benefits while actually working for a Florida company. Once in Congress, he cosponsored legislation intended to root out unemployment fraud.
For Santos, Reardon said, it was 鈥渄o as he says, not as he does.鈥�
Defense lawyer Andrew Mancilla, arguing for a two-year prison stint, said 鈥渆veryone hates George Santos鈥� even though 鈥渄eep down, he is warm, kind, caring, and thoughtful.鈥�
He said Santos created an 鈥渁lternate ego鈥� for himself after growing up in a 鈥渂roken house鈥� and dealing with bullying.
鈥淗e built the man he wanted to be,鈥� Mancilla said. 鈥淗e did that because he believed that the world would not accept him for who he was.鈥�
Santos鈥� reputation, he added, has been destroyed, leaving him 鈥渘o chance鈥� of securing a job, though he conceded Santos has a documentary in development.
鈥淣o one is coming near him,鈥� Mancilla said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 forever stained.鈥�
Seybert at points rejected defense lawyers' arguments that Santos was not the ringleader of the fraud.
She also rejected their arguments that sentences handed down in previous campaign fraud cases, including that of , were fair comparisons.
鈥淚鈥檓 not here to decide political issues,鈥� Seybert said. 鈥淚鈥檓 here to decide a just sentence.鈥�
Santos was elected in 2022, flipping a wealthy district representing parts of Queens and Long Island for the GOP.
Soon after, it was revealed that the political unknown had fabricated much of his life story, painting himself as a successful business owner who worked at prestigious Wall Street firms and held a valuable real estate portfolio.
In reality, Santos was struggling financially and even faced eviction. The revelations led to congressional and criminal inquiries into .
鈥淗e told lie after lie until it caught up with him 鈥� until we caught up with him and exposed him for what he truly was: an opportunist and a fraud,鈥� Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, a Republican, said outside court Friday. Her office also investigated Santos.
As his sentencing approached, Santos was reflective in social media posts, thanking his supporters and detractors alike.
鈥淚 learned that no matter left, right or, center we are all humans and for the most part Americans (LOL) and we have one super power that I cherish and that is compassion,鈥� he . Addressing 鈥渢he trolls,鈥� he added: 鈥測鈥檃ll made me much stronger and made my skin thicker!鈥�
He also made one final plug for his Cameo account, where he records personalized video messages for $100.
鈥淭hink ahead and of any celebration or event coming up later this year. Book them today,鈥� Santos wrote, ending the post with a series of heart emojis.
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Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz and Jake Offenhartz in New York contributed to this story.
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Philip Marcelo, The Associated Press
