U.S. Representative-elect George Santos, a Republican from New York, is now facing a federal probe into his finances in addition to the ongoing state and county investigations into his campaign.
Santos admitted to lying or making misleading statements about his heritage, education, and professional background during his campaign.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, also a Republican, asserted, “The numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-Elect Santos are nothing short of stunning.”
“The residents of Nassau County and other parts of the third district must have an honest and accountable representative in Congress,” Donnelly said Wednesday. “If a crime was committed in this county, we will prosecute it.”
Now, Santos’ finances are reportedly being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. When he first ran for Congress in 2020, Santos disclosed no assets and a salary of $55,000.
However, his personal financial disclosure report in 2022 listed assets valued between $2.6 million and $11.25 million, including an apartment in Rio de Janeiro.
Santos reported earning millions from his company Devolder Organization, despite the company having little public presence and Santos identifying no clients. His campaign website previously called the company a “family firm” and claimed Santos oversaw $80 million in client asset allocations.
During his campaign, Santos claimed to have graduated from Baruch College and worked for both Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. He also claimed to own more than a dozen properties and to come from a Jewish family.
Santos admitted during a Monday interview with the New York Post that these claims were fabrications, but he insisted he would still serve the duration of his two-year term in Congress.
While his campaign website previously stated that “George’s grandparents fled Jewish persecution in Ukraine, settled in Belgium, and fled persecution during WWII,” Santos now says directly that he is not Jewish.
“I never claimed to be Jewish,” Santos told the New York Post. “I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was ‘Jew-ish.'”
“This [controversy] will not deter me from having good legislative success,” Santos said. “I will be effective. I will be good.”
“My sins here are embellishing my resume,” he added. “I’m sorry.”
Santos clarified that he “never worked directly” for Goldman Sachs.
“I will be clearer about that. It was stated poorly,” he continued.
“I didn’t graduate from any institution of higher learning. I’m embarrassed and sorry for having embellished my resume,” Santos added. “I own up to that. … We do stupid things in life.”