George Santos sentenced to more than 7 years in prison for fraud and theft

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos was sentenced Friday to more than seven years in prison, according to federal prosecutors — roughly what they argued would be fair.

Santos sobbed as the judge handed down his sentence at federal court in Long Island, the Associated Press reported.

“I offer my deepest apologies,” he said, according to the outlet. “I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.”

John Durham, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said at a press conference following the proceeding that Santos was being held accountable for “blatant corruption” that targeted innocent constituents and supporters in New York’s 3rd Congressional District, which Santos previously represented.

“Santos’ victims were real people and they suffered real losses,” said Durham. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that this egregious conduct will not and never will be tolerated.”

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, whose office helped bring the case, said Santos’ behavior amounted to “an empty man in an empty designer suit, financed by fraud.”

In addition to serving 87 months in federal prison, Santos will have to pay more than $370,000 in restitution that will go directly to those victims, according to Durham. The ex-lawmaker will also forfeit more than $200,000 — money that the government determined Santos illegally amassed.

Prior to his sentencing, Santos said he would ask to serve prison time in solitary confinement because he fears for his safety.

“I take full responsibility for bad actions I've made, and I regret that,” Santos said Thursday night on “The Matt Gaetz Show.” “I don't know what would be fair, but I know seven years [in prison] is pretty out there, in my opinion.”

The disgraced ex-congressmember said it would be his last interview prior to his scheduled appearance in front of Judge Joanna Seybert in Central Islip on Friday morning. Santos, who represented parts of Long Island and Queens before being ousted from Congress in December 2023, pleaded guilty last year to federal charges of wire fraud and identity theft.

Prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York said earlier this month that they were seeking a prison sentence of 87 months for Santos as a way to “protect the public” from being cheated by him again.

“Santos’ conduct has made a mockery of our election system,” they wrote in a filing. “From his creation of a wholly fictitious biography to his callous theft of money from elderly and impaired donors, Santos’ unrestrained greed and voracious appetite for fame enabled him to exploit the very system by which we select our representatives.”

Santos told former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, also a Republican, that prosecutors were trying to “drop an anchor” on his head by requesting so much prison time. In his own court filings, he asked the court for two years, the mandatory minimum sentence for aggravated identity theft.

“I am allowed to make an application for protective custody because of who I am,” Santos said Thursday.

Santos was formally expelled from Congress after a House ethics committee found “substantial evidence” of misconduct and illegal activity. In pleading guilty to the charges, he conceded he had deceived political donors and stolen the identities of nearly a dozen people, including his relatives.

Santos told the New York Times in a recent interview that he was “totally resigned” to the possibility of spending 87 months in prison. On social media, he has been counting down the days until his sentencing.

“Soon,” he tweeted early Friday, along with a praying-hands emoji.

Santos said Thursday that he had not directly asked President Donald Trump for a pardon, even though Trump has pardoned some other politicians in similar circumstances.

“I do hope that hopefully he takes a look at me, too,” Santos said.

This story has been updated with additional information.