Former Congressman George Santos (R-N.Y.), who controversially served as a representative for New York's 3rd Congressional District, is set to appear in federal court on Monday. Over the weekend, multiple media outlets reported that Santos plans to plead guilty to the corruption charges against him, marking a significant turn in his legal battle.
The New York Times has more information about Santos' decision to sidestep a potentially devastating federal trial:
Pleading guilty would allow Mr. Santos to avoid a trial on nearly two dozen charges — including wire fraud, money laundering and stealing public funds — for which he was facing as many as 22 years in prison.
Mr. Santos has repeatedly expressed concern about difficulty selecting an unbiased jury because of his notoriety, which has been fueled by his colorful lies, outrageous schemes and a memorable portrayal on Saturday Night Live.
Santos intends to enter a guilty plea at 3 p.m. in federal court in Central Islip, New York, according to two lawyers and two other people familiar with the case.
The plea offers a final bookend to the tale of a political underdog catapulted to Congress in 2022, who unraveled into a seemingly bottomless series of falsehoods.
Last year, Mr. Santos was charged with 23 felony counts for a number of schemes, including stealing money from donors and lying to the government to cover his tracks. He originally pleaded not guilty to the charges, and could still do so, should he change his mind about the plea.
In December 2023, Santos became the sixth lawmaker in history to be expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives.
He was the first member to be expelled without a prior conviction or any association with the Confederacy.
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