George Santos, the former New York congressman facing sentencing on fraud charges, has defended his social media outburst in a letter to the federal judge overseeing his case. He expressed regret for his actions but argued against the harshness of the proposed seven-year prison term, calling it “ridiculous.”
In response, prosecutors claimed Santos lacked genuine remorse, citing his disparaging remarks about the Department of Justice and portraying himself as a victim of prosecutorial overreach on social media. Santos, who admitted to deceiving donors and committing identity theft for his campaign, defended his posts as protected speech and pushed back against being labeled the mastermind behind the financial fraud.
He also refuted claims that he failed to make efforts to repay the $580,000 owed as part of his plea deal, stating that he had liquidated assets and reduced expenses to raise restitution funds. Despite facing sentencing alone, Santos rejected any support from friends or family, choosing to deal with the consequences of his actions on his own.
The U.S. Attorney’s office declined to comment on the case, which has brought to light Santos’ fabricated life story and campaign financing questions. Despite being elected in 2022, Santos served only a year before being ousted by his colleagues in the House.
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