Former Rep. George Santos Reports to Prison for 7-Year Sentence

Former U.S. Representative George Santos was scheduled to begin serving a seven-year prison sentence on Friday for fraud charges that led to his removal from Congress. The New York Republican was required to report to federal prison before 2 p.m., though the specific facility remained undisclosed. A federal judge had recommended Santos be housed in a facility in the Northeast region.

Santos pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. The case involved deceiving donors and stealing identities to fund his congressional campaign. In April, a federal judge declined his request for a reduced two-year sentence, stating she was not convinced of his genuine remorse despite his public apologies.

Elected in 2022 to represent parts of Queens and Long Island, Santos served less than one year in Congress before becoming only the sixth House member ever expelled by colleagues. His removal followed revelations that he had fabricated significant portions of his life story, including false claims about his education, professional background, and religious heritage. These fabrications eventually triggered congressional and criminal investigations into his campaign financing.

Since his expulsion from Congress, Santos has maintained a public presence through a podcast titled "Pants on Fire with George Santos" and by selling personalized video messages. He had expressed hope for clemency from President Trump, though the White House declined to comment on any potential reprieve. Prior to reporting to prison, Santos shared concerns about his impending incarceration in various media interviews.

In his final days before imprisonment, Santos indicated he would serve his sentence in a minimum-security prison "camp" rather than the medium-security facility initially assigned. The former congressman, who turned 37 earlier in the week, had been vocal about his apprehension regarding prison life, describing the sentence as practically a "death sentence" during an interview with Tucker Carlson.