George Santos Is Now Facing a Federal Investigation
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Embattled Congressman-elect George Santos is now facing multiple investigations regarding his many lies to the public, including a federal probe and an inquiry from Long Island prosecutors. The representative’s future in Congress has been jeopardized following Santos’ admission to having fabricated significant portions of his life story and résumé.
According to a Wednesday CNN report, sources indicate that the Eastern District of New York’s U.S. Attorney has launched an investigation into Santos. The probe will reportedly be centered around Santos’ finances.
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Long Island prosecutors have already launched a separate investigation into the allegations against Santos. “The numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-Elect Santos are nothing short of stunning,” said Long Island’s Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, a Republican. The residents of Nassau County and other parts of the third district must have an honest and accountable representative in Congress.” Donnelly vowed to prosecute any crimes uncovered in her investigation.
Brendan Brosh, a spokesperson for the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, confirmed on Wednesday that investigators were “looking into the matter.”
A New York Times investigation earlier this month raised questions regarding discrepancies in the incoming congressman’s background. Santos falsely claimed to have graduated from Baruch College in New York and New York University, as well as to have worked for major financial groups like Goldman Sachs or Citigroup.
Santos has also received a wave of criticism for claiming to be half Jewish, asserting that his grandparents were Holocaust survivors who escaped Nazi persecution and fled to Brazil. Santos described himself as a “proud American Jew” in campaign documents. However, an investigation by Forward revealed that Santos’ grandparents were both born in Rio de Janeiro and that his parents and grandparents were Catholic.
Major questions remain regarding Santos’ finances. Despite the admission to embellishing his employment credentials and real estate portfolio, Santos was able to provide large-scale personal loans to his 2022 congressional campaign. The origin of the financial windfall remains unclear, and discrepancies in Santos’ financial disclosures will likely be of interest to investigators.
Santos admitted to several outlets on Monday that he had engaged in “résumé embellishment” but maintained that his actions do not disqualify him from his elected position. He insisted that he will not be stepping away from office, and plans to be sworn into the next Congress on Tuesday.
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