Former President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of George Santos, leading to the immediate release of the former Republican congressman who had fallen from grace.
In a detailed post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his views on Santos, stating, “George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our country who aren’t serving seven-year prison sentences.” He added that Santos had endured long periods in solitary confinement and described his treatment as “horrible,” concluding with, “I just signed a commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck, George, have a great life!”
Santos began serving his seven-year sentence in a New Jersey federal prison in July after admitting guilt to charges of federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. These charges stemmed from deceiving donors and misusing identities to finance his congressional campaign.
Previously celebrated within the Republican ranks for securing a New York congressional seat that often sees fierce competition, Santos’s reputation crumbled when it emerged that much of his personal history was fabricated.
Among the falsehoods he propagated were claims about his mother’s death in the 9/11 attacks and his self-description as “Jew-ish,” a term he used to clarify misleading statements about his grandparents supposedly escaping the Holocaust.
Among false claims were that his mother died in the 9/11 attacks. He also had to explain that he was ‘Jew-ish,’ not Jewish, when questions were raised about his claim that his grandparents had fled the Holocaust.
He survived two expulsion attempts before a scathing House ethics committee report in late 2023 led to his ouster from Congress, making him only the sixth member in the chamber´s history to be removed by colleagues.
President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of George Santos, releasing the disgraced former Republican congressman immediately
Santos is seen arriving at federal court for sentencing in April in Central Islip, New York
Santos was sentenced to seven years for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and had been serving time at Federal Correctional Institution Fairton (pictured) in New Jersey
The former New York Republican was sentenced to 87 months in prison for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud committed around his brief stint on Capitol Hill.
The fabulist liar made up a host of twisted tails about working on Wall Street, being a collegiate volleyball star and an heir to a real estate empire.
Santos, 37, took office in January 2023, becoming the first openly gay Republican to be elected. He was expelled later that year after his web of lies began to unfurl.
Prosecutors presented evidence of Santos spending political donations on Botox, designer clothes, casino holidays, and OnlyFans fees.
He was also ordered to pay at least $373,749.97 in restitution and forfeit over $200,000, according to a plea agreement he made last year.
Since his sentencing, Santos had been vying for Trump to commute his sentence – as evidenced by long rants he’s posted to social media claiming he is the victim of unfair legal prosecution.
‘From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been,’ he wrote before heading to prison. ‘I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit.’
Federal prosecutors indicted Santos for defrauding his own political supporters the same year he took office.
Santos pathologically lied about his life when running for Congress in 2022. The tall tales were not revealed until after the election and he was later expelled from Congress
He took their donations and moved them into his own bank accounts, later using the funds on a slew of personal expenses, prosecutors claimed.
Santos also as alleged to have fraudulently applied for COVID pandemic benefits despite not meeting the qualifications, the feds said.
In addition, the ex-lawmaker lied on his campaign paperwork to qualify for funding from the Republican Party, prosecutors alleged. He also was accused of using his donor’s payment information to make contributions in their name to his campaign.
At his sentencing the judge noted how Santos appeared unrepentant for his actions and crimes.
‘Where is your remorse? U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert asked Santos during the Friday sentencing. ‘Where do I see it?’
With the disgraced lawmaker, the judge said, ‘it’s always someone else’s fault.’
Santos wept as he told the court he felt ‘humbled’ and realized he had betrayed his constituents’ trust.
‘I offer my deepest apologies,’ he said, adding: ‘I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.’
