Jorge Santos had a salary of millions with a Social Security boost

He claimed unemployment benefits while having incomes in the millions and campaigning. Now George Santos can weaken Republican control in Congress.

On Wednesday, Congressman George Santos turned himself in to police in New York. One The grand juryThe grand juryA jury decides whether there are grounds to indict a suspect. He found that the police had reason to charge him with 13 offences.

He must defend himself against charges that range from Social Security fraud, through money laundering to theft of campaign funds.

He himself denies that he broke the law. A few hours after the indictment was announced, he said he was preparing to fight for re-election.

So far, Congressman George Santos has drawn tepid support from fellow Republicans. It is important for them to retain control in the House of Representatives.

If he is imprisoned or has to resign, it will take a lot for a party member to win a new election. In the fall of 2022, he surprisingly won a traditionally Democratic precinct. If Republicans lose the district, their majority shrinks to 221 to 214.

Long history of lies and deceit

The 34-year-old Jorge Anthony Devolder Santos has had a long career on the wrong side of the law. After his story was exposed by the media, many wondered why it was not revealed before the November 2022 elections.

He has systematically lied about both his own background and his family history. He lied about his Jewish background. What he claimed about education, from high school to university, is also a fabrication. Likewise, he lied about the most prestigious jobs on Wall Street.

Claimed unemployment compensation

The grand jury indictment It is on 19 pages. Lies about family background, education, and jobs are not punishable by law. But the Attorney General’s got a lot to work with.

When the pandemic hit the United States with full force in March 2020, Santos was working for an investment firm in Florida. The salary must be more than 1 million kroner per year. Due to the epidemic, additional unemployment benefits have been introduced.

Santos applied for Social Security in New York, while working in Florida. Every week for just over a year he confirmed he still needed the money. In total, he earned a quarter of a million kroner.

At the same time, he campaigned for Congress, hoping to represent a New York congressional district. The grand jury believes he earned campaign contributions. He also lied about his financial situation in documents that all candidates must submit to Congress.

He lost the election in the fall of 2020. In the first round, Donald Trump ruled, claiming that the electoral victory was stolen from him. He had no evidence.

He won the election

Santos launched a new election campaign almost immediately. With the help of a hired consultant, he raises the money. They have contacted potential donors. The story he told about how much each individual could give, and the legal framework surrounding the organization of campaigning, was largely a lie.

The supporters were tricked into giving more money than they were allowed to. This resulted in several gifts amounting to NOK 250,000.

Instead of buying television ads and election campaign posters, a large portion of the money went to the consumption of luxury goods.

Unlike in 2020, he won the election in 2022. On January 7, 2023, he was sworn in as a representative of Congress.

protected by them

One of the first things he did as a congressman was to support Kevin McCarthy through the 15 rounds of voting required to elect a leader to Congress.

By then, Santos had already been exposed as a liar. But McCarthy rewarded him anyway with positions on important committees. Later Santos withdrew “temporarily” from these positions.

When the indictment was known on Wednesday, the party leadership was quick to say that everyone is innocent until proven otherwise and a verdict is issued. They also confirmed that he had been removed from all committee positions in writing Fox News.

Santos’ party colleagues are working to get approval for a law that would toughen penalties for Social Security fraud. The party leadership says the fighting continues.