George Santos, U.S. congressman for lower than a 12 months, sentenced to greater than 7 years in jail

[ad_1] Disgraced former U.S. Congress member George Santos, who lied about his life story and defrauded donors, was sentenced Friday to greater than seven years in jail, sobbing as he heard his punishment.

Santos, who pleaded responsible final summer season to federal wire fraud and aggravated identification theft, appealed for mercy, telling a courtroom by means of tears that he was "humbled" and "chastised" and realized he had betrayed his constituents' belief.

"I provide my deepest apologies," he mentioned, including: "I can't rewrite the previous, however I can management the highway forward."

U.S. District Courtroom Decide Joanna Seybert evidently wasn't satisfied. "The place is your regret? The place do I see it?" she requested as she sentenced him to 87 months behind bars. She mentioned the previous politician appeared to really feel that "it is at all times another person's fault."

The New York Republican served in Congress lower than a 12 months earlier than his Home of Representatives colleagues ousted him in 2023. He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of practically a dozen folks, together with his members of the family, to fund his successful marketing campaign.

As a part of a plea deal, Santos has agreed to pay roughly $580,000 US in penalties along with jail time.

The 36-year-old did not reply to reporters' shouted questions as he walked right into a Lengthy Island courthouse, however he instructed The Related Press on Thursday that he was resigned to his destiny.

"I am doing in addition to any human being could be doing given the circumstances," Santos wrote in a textual content message on Thursday, including that he was "able to face the music."

'Everybody hates George' Prosecutor Ryan Harris mentioned a few of Santos's victims have been "extraordinarily susceptible," together with a lady with mind injury and two octogenarian males who've dementia. Santos has mentioned in latest days that he has no intention of paying again victims promptly, Harris famous.

"Individuals consider this as a victimless crime as a result of it is about cash. There are a lot of victims on this crime," added New York Labour Commissioner Roberta Reardon. She addressed the courtroom as a sufferer as a result of Santos collected unemployment advantages whereas employed by a Florida firm.

<img loading="lazy" alt="An older woman with red and white hair is shown walking outside, with a man to her left." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7518759.1745600662!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/george-santos-reardon.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7518759.1745600662!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/george-santos-reardon.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7518759.1745600662!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/george-santos-reardon.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7518759.1745600662!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/george-santos-reardon.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7518759.1745600662!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/george-santos-reardon.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7518759.1745600662!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/george-santos-reardon.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> New York State Division of Labour official Roberta Reardon, centre, walks out of federal courtroom in Central Islip, N.Y., on Friday. Reardon was amongst those that instructed the courtroom that actual folks have been victimized by Santos's crimes. (Demaree Nikhinson/The Related Press) Defence lawyer Andrew Mancilla portrayed the ex-congressman as a troubled determine solid by adversity. Santos, who has no prior prison file, grew up in a "damaged home" and was subjected to bullying all through his life, the legal professional mentioned.

In consequence, "he constructed the person he wished to be, not who he was," Mancilla mentioned. "He did that as a result of he believed that the world wouldn't settle for him for who he was.

"Deep down, he's heat, type, caring and considerate," Mancilla mentioned.

However, the lawyer mentioned, now "everybody hates George Santos."

Promotes Cameo account in remaining hours of freedom Prosecutors argued in latest courtroom filings that he "stays unrepentant" and has not proven real regret, regardless of what he claims. They cited latest feedback Santos made on social media during which he solid himself as a sufferer of prosecutorial overreach.

Santos's attorneys had known as for a two-year jail stint, which is the obligatory minimal sentence for aggravated identification theft. They argued such a penalty was corresponding to sentences handed to different political figures convicted of comparable monetary crimes.

Santos was elected in 2022, flipping a rich district representing components of Queens and Lengthy Island from Democratic management.

WATCH l After delay, Santos is banished from Congress (2023): George Santos expelled from U.S. Congress

George Santos has been expelled from the US Home of Representatives after a sequence of prison prices and ethics investigations. He's solely the sixth individual ever to be ousted from the chamber. Quickly after, it was revealed that the political unknown had fabricated a lot of his life story, portray himself as a profitable enterprise proprietor who labored at prestigious Wall Road corporations and held a beneficial actual property portfolio.

In actuality, Santos was struggling financially and even confronted eviction.

The revelations led to congressional and prison inquiries into how he had funded his marketing campaign.

Santos made a number of social media posts on Thursday, together with one remaining plug for his Cameo account, the place he data personalised video messages for $100 US.

"Suppose forward and of any celebration or occasion arising later this 12 months. Ebook them in the present day," Santos wrote, ending the submit with a sequence of coronary heart emojis.