A Long Island district attorney announced Wednesday that she planned to investigate out Republican Representative-elect George Santos after he admitted to lying about his background. Additionally, a federal probe has reportedly been opened as well.
Santos, who was elected in November to represent a large portion of Long Island, fabricated substantial elements of his professional history and also lied about attending college. The lies didn’t stop there. He also lied about owning 13 properties — he owns none. Santos also said four of his employees in the Pulse massacre that killed 49 people, but now he says four of those victims were going to work for him.
The misrepresentations were uncovered in an investigation by the New York Times.
Nassau County district attorney Anne Donnelly said in a statement reported by several media outlets that the “numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-elect Santos are nothing short of stunning.”
Donnelly, who is a Republican, said that he needed to be held accountable.
“No one is above the law, and if a crime was committed in this county, we will prosecute it,” Donnelly said.
Newsday first reported the statement.
The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York is also looking into Santos’s finances and financial disclosures following the revelations, CBS News reports.
In 2020, Santos reported a salary of $55,000 and no assets when he first ran for Congress in 2020. However, in his latest financial disclosure form, he said he made millions from his company the Devolder Organization, which he founded in 2021.
Financial disclosure records also show that he loaned his latest campaign $750,000, which has raised questions about his sudden wealth.
“George Santos, a former call center employee falling behind on his rent, lent his campaign a staggering $705,000,” Torres tweeted. “Where did all that money come from? The Ethics Committee MUST start investigating immediately.”
\u201cGeorge Santos, a former call center employee falling behind on his rent, lent his campaign a staggering $705,000.\n\nWhere did all that money come from? The Ethics Committee MUST start investigating immediately.\u201d— Ritchie Torres (@Ritchie Torres) 1672111928
The would-be-congressman told news outlet Semafor that he made his millions by matching luxury goods sellers to potential buyers. He’d then take a portion of the transaction as a fee.
"If you're looking at a $20 million yacht, my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000," Santos told the outlet.
Santos faces significant pressure from both Democrats and fellow Republicans after he admitted to the lies earlier this week.
Fellow GOP Representative-elect Nick LaLota, who won in a neighboring district, said Santos should be investigated by the House Ethics Committee.
“Santos will be gone by the end of his term or well before then. He should RESIGN,” Torres wrote in a different tweet.
The Times reported Wednesday that Santos had removed a former mention of living on Long Island, which have now come up.
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