Federal prosecutors have filed charges against Rep. George Santos (R-NY), according to reports late Tuesday.
Having been filed under seal, reporters could not immediately discern the exact nature of the charges against Santos. However, FBI and Department of Justice prosecutors in New York and Washington have been scrutinizing his campaign finance and other activities.
Questions raised by investigators have included how the freshman Congressman from Nassau County, Long Island generated enough personal wealth to lend his campaign $700,000 as campaign filings show. Santos had said his money came from his company, Devolder Organization, but he has disclosed very little information about its operations.
Campaign filings have surfaced that list donations exceeding the legal limit, hundreds of thousands of dollars in unexplained spending, and a string of expenses for $199.99, which is just a few cents below the threshold for having to reveal receipts.
Santos is already under investigation by Congress. The House Ethics Committee has launched a probe into his alleged misconduct. A special legislative subcommittee is looking into “whether Representative George Santos may have: engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign; failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House; violated federal conflict of interest laws in connection with his role in a firm providing fiduciary services; and/or engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his congressional office.”
Santos filed for reelection in 2024 on March 14.
He declined Tuesday to comment on the sealed federal charges.
