Rep. George Santos pleads not guilty to 13 counts including fraud, lying to Congress

Rep. George Santos pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 13 federal charges including fraud and lying to Congress.

Santos faces seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of lying to the House of Representatives, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. He was released from custody on a $500,000 bond following his arraignment at a Long Island federal courthouse. If convicted, Santos could face up to 20 years in prison. 

The charges mark a significant escalation in the many legal and ethical probes the fabulist Republican lawmaker has faced since taking office. Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement that the charges against Santos aim to hold the freshman lawmaker accountable for numerous alleged "fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations."

"Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself," Peace said.

In a news conference following his arraignment, a defiant Santos maintained innocence and called the investigation a "witch hunt," echoing language frequently used by former President Donald Trump to undermine the legal probes he faces.

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"I'm going to fight the witch hunt, I'm going to take care of clearing my name and I look forward to doing that," Santos said.

Santos’ lawyer, Joseph Murray, said in court that the Republican lawmaker plans to continue his reelection campaign and asked the judge for permission to travel freely, though he did surrender his passport. Santos said after the arraignment that he trusts his constituents to "decide what's best."

Santos' indictment and arrest are the latest development in the saga of his rise and fall, from his surprise flip of a New York seat to the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterms to the swift unraveling of his supposed life story. Santos' exaggerations and fabrications about his personal and professional life – revealed in large part after his election to the U.S. House – rapidly elevated the freshman lawmaker's national profile, while drawing intense legal and ethical scrutiny.

Read it yourself:Rep. George Santos indicted. Read the charges here

Santos surrendered to authorities in Long Island on Wednesday morning, The New York Times first reported.

The New York congressman announced his reelection bid last month, despite facing an investigation from the House Ethics Committee on top of several state and federal investigations. A subcommittee of two Republicans and two Democrats established by the ethics committee are examining whether Santos engaged in "unlawful activity" during his 2022 campaign and investigating a sexual misconduct allegation involving a staffer.

Santos has repeatedly said he would not step down from Congress despite bipartisan calls for his resignation, though he did resign from his committee assignments in January.

Among the claims Santos has made about his personal and professional life that have since been refuted: working at Citigroup or Goldman Sachs, losing four employees in the Pulse shooting, owning 13 properties, losing his mother in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, graduating from Baruch College in Manhattan as a volleyball star and studying at New York University.

Santos has also faced allegations of questionable campaign finances reporting and pilfering from a fundraising campaign for a dying dog. The embattled Republican lawmaker acknowledged embellishing his educational background and job history but has denied most of the other allegations.

Fraud charges

Santos allegedly transferred money from political donors into personal bank accounts during his campaign, using the funds for personal expenses, according to the Justice Department. He withdrew cash, discharged personal debts, transferred money to his associates and used the funds to make personal purchases, including of designer clothing, the DOJ claims.

Unemployment insurance

The DOJ also alleged Santos committed unemployment insurance fraud by applying for benefits through the New York State Department of Labor in June 2020, even though he was employed. He allegedly fraudulently received more than $24,000 in unemployment insurance benefits as a result.

"From that point until April 2021 – when Santos was working and receiving a salary on a near-continuous basis and during his unsuccessful run for Congress – he falsely affirmed each week that he was eligible for unemployment benefits when he was not," the department said. 

False statements to Congress

Santos also made efforts to mislead the U.S. House and the public about his financial condition in connection with his two congressional campaigns, the DOJ claims.

In March 2020, during his first House campaign, the DOJ alleges Santos falsely claimed in House disclosures that his only earned income – consisting of salary, commission and bonuses – amounted to $55,000 from an unnamed company. He also allegedly said the only compensation exceeding $5,000 was an unspecified commission bonus from that company.

But the Justice Department claims that in actuality, Santos "overstated the income he received from Company #2 and altogether failed to disclose the salary he received from Investment Firm #1."

During the 2022 midterms, the DOJ alleges that Santos made false claims in another disclosure form by including money he did not actually receive and by failing to disclose income and benefits he did receive.

Criticism, calls for expulsion

Ed Cox, head of New York's Republican Party, said in a statement to USA TODAY that the "story of George Santos is over."

"The writing has been on the wall for months: George Santos will not be a member of the next Congress," Cox said. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries used Santos' arrest to criticize the Republican Party.

"The party of George Santos and Marjorie Taylor Greene cannot be trusted to govern," Jeffries said, citing the controversial Georgia Rep. Greene. "Not now. Not ever."

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, on Wednesday called for Santos' immediate expulsion from Congress.

"The people of New York’s 3rd district deserve a voice in congress," Gonzales said in a tweet. "George Santos should be immediately expelled from Congress and a special election initiated at the soonest possible date."

During a press gaggle on Air Force One, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on Santos' case, calling the Justice Department "independent." She also demurred on whether Santos should be expelled from Congress.

"That's something for the House conference to decide on. ... How they want to show to the American people what they want their conference to look like, that's up to them," she said.

Santos responds

Following his arraignment, Santos told reporters that he intends to head back to Washington to vote on Republicans' first major border bill Thursday and thanked the party's leadership for being "patient."

"I appreciate leadership for being patient at this time and for allowing the process to play out," he said. "I think this is about innocent until proven guilty. I have my right to fight to prove my innocence, as the government has the right to fight to try to find me guilty."

Read the indictment

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was indicted on federal charges that included money laundering, an unemployment fraud scheme, and lying to Congress. Read the indictment here.

Contributing: Phillip Bailey, Francesca Chambers, Associated Press