George Santos

George Santos
Name	George Santos
Caption	Official portrait, 2023
Office	United States Representative from New York's 3rd congressional district
Term start	January 3, 2023
Term end	December 1, 2023
Predecessor	Tom Suozzi
Successor	Tom Suozzi
Party	Republican (2012–2021; 2021–present)
Otherparty	Democratic (c. 2008–2012; 2021)
Birth name	George Anthony Devolder Santos
Birth date	22 July 1988
Birth place	Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Baruch College (no degree)

George Santos is a former American politician who served as a United States Representative for New York's 3rd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, his brief tenure in the 118th United States Congress was dominated by revelations that he fabricated extensive details about his biography, education, and professional background. His congressional career ended when he became only the sixth member in history to be expelled from the House of Representatives, following a scathing report from the House Ethics Committee and multiple federal criminal indictments.

Early life and education

George Anthony Devolder Santos was born in the Queens borough of New York City. He attended Baruch College in Manhattan, part of the City University of New York system, but did not graduate. In later campaign biographies, he falsely claimed to have earned a degree from Baruch College and an MBA from New York University, prestigious institutions within the New York City academic landscape. His early professional life included work as a customer service representative for a Disney-owned company in Florida.

Business career

Prior to his political career, Santos claimed a successful background in finance and investment. He stated he worked for prestigious firms like Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, assertions later disproven by investigations from media outlets including The New York Times. He founded a company called the Devolder Organization, which he described as a firm managing assets worth millions. Federal prosecutors later alleged this entity was central to a wire fraud scheme. His purported charitable work with a pet rescue group called Friends of Pets United also came under scrutiny for questionable financial practices.

Political career

Santos first entered politics as a candidate for the New York State Assembly in 2020, running unsuccessfully in a district encompassing parts of Queens and Nassau County. He then launched a campaign for the United States House of Representatives in New York's 3rd congressional district in 2022. During this campaign, he presented a fabricated personal history, claiming Jewish ancestry and that his mother was a survivor of the September 11 attacks. He secured the Republican nomination and defeated Democratic candidate Robert Zimmerman in the general election.

Congressional tenure

Santos was sworn into the 118th United States Congress in January 2023, representing a district that includes parts of Nassau County and Queens. He was assigned to the House Committee on Small Business and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. His tenure was immediately consumed by controversy as national media, led by The New York Times, published exhaustive reports debunking his resume and personal narrative. Despite calls for his resignation from members of both parties, including New York Republican colleagues like Nick LaLota, he initially refused to step down.

Legal issues and controversies

In May 2023, Santos was indicted by the United States Department of Justice on federal charges including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making false statements to the United States House of Representatives. A superseding indictment in October added further charges, alleging a complex scheme to defraud campaign donors. Concurrently, the bipartisan House Ethics Committee launched its own investigation, issuing a detailed report that found "substantial evidence" of federal law violations. The report accused him of blatantly stealing from his campaign, filing false reports with the Federal Election Commission, and exploiting his candidacy for personal enrichment.

Expulsion from Congress

Following the damning House Ethics Committee report, a resolution for his expulsion was introduced in the United States House of Representatives. On December 1, 2023, a majority of his colleagues, including a significant portion of the Republican conference, voted to expel him. The action was supported by Speaker Mike Johnson and leaders like Steve Scalise. Santos became only the sixth member ever expelled from the House of Representatives and the first since James Traficant in 2002. A special election was subsequently held to fill the vacant seat, which was won by former Representative Tom Suozzi.

Category:1988 births Category:American people convicted of fraud Category:Expelled members of the United States House of Representatives Category:People from Queens, New York Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)