George Santos jailed live: Rep calls probe ‘witch hunt’ after pleading innocent to 13 charges

Speaking to press reporters in the Capitol on the day Mr Santos was jailed and set to be arraigned in a Long Island federal courtroom, Mr Romney required him to step down right away.

“I think we’re seeing that the wheels of justice may grind slow, but they grind fine and he will have his day in court, but it certainly appears that things are not going well for Mr. Santos,” he said.

Mr Romney formerly informed Mr Santos he had no business remaining in the House of Representatives throughout a testy exchange prior to President Joe Biden provided his yearly State of the Union address to Congress in March.

In the fight in between the Utah Senator and the freshman New York agent that was recorded by tv cams, Mr Romney called Mr Santos “an embarrassment” and informed him: “You don’t belong here”.

This count makes mostly the very same claims as Count 12 however associates with declared resting on his 2022 monetary disclosure form.

Potential sentence: A conviction brings a five-year jail term.

Under this count, Santos is implicated of resting on a 2020 House monetary disclosure form, which needs lawmakers to offer a total account of their earnings and possessions.

Potential sentence: A conviction brings a five-year jail term.

These counts likewise describe the supposed plan to obtain money allocated to help Americans who lost work due to the fact that of COVID-19. The count describes 2 $564 checks that supposedly were wired to Santos.

Potential sentence: Each count brings an optimum jail term of twenty years.

This charge declares that in 2020 and 2021, Santos embezzled U.S. funds by incorrectly acquiring money reserved for out of work individuals throughout the height of the pandemic, even believed he was being paid a considerable income at the time.

Potential sentence: A conviction brings an optimal sentence of one year in jail.

This count consists of the claims that in 2022, Santos unlawfully moved a $25,000 campaign contribution from one donor and a $24,000 contribution from another to a savings account he managed.

Potential sentence: Under the statute, the optimal sentences can vary from a couple of years to years in jail, depending upon irritating elements.

Wire scams describes using telephones, email or other types of interaction to devote a criminal offense. Such charges prevail in a wide variety of criminal cases, from drug trafficking to political corruption.

In Santos’ case, these counts associate with claims that he scammed donors into contributing money by informing them their contributions would be utilized for campaign advertisements when he in fact invested it on himself, consisting of to purchase designer clothing and make charge card payments.

Potential sentence: Although the indictment does not consist of possible sentences, U.S. statutes state each wire scams count brings an optimum 20-year jail term.

U.S. Rep. George Santos, the New York Republican notorious for producing his life story, pleaded innocent Wednesday to charges he deceived donors, took from his campaign and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to gather welfare he didn’t should have. Afterward, he said wouldn’t drop his reelection quote, defying calls to resign.

Santos’ 13-count federal indictment was a numeration for a web of scams and deceit that district attorneys state overlapped with his fantastical public image as a rich business owner — an imaginary bio that started to decipher after he won election last fall.

Santos, 34, was launched on $500,000 bond following his arraignment, about 5 hours after turning himself in to authorities on Long Island to deal with charges of wire scams, money laundering, theft of public funds and making incorrect declarations to Congress. He might confront twenty years in jail if founded guilty.

“This is the beginning of the ability for me to address and defend myself,” Santos informed press reporters later, swearing to clear his name and calling his prosecution a “witch hunt.”

A 13-count federal indictment unsealed Wednesday in New York implicates U.S. Rep. George Santos of embezzling money from his campaign, incorrectly getting joblessness funds and lying to Congress about his financial resources.

In a press release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said the charges versus the New York Republican consist of 3 counts of “money laundering,” though the indictment doesn’t utilize that particular phrasing.

George Santos explained criminal charges versus him as a “witch hunt” in a bold interview following his arrest on Wednesday.

The New York congressman spoke outside a federal court house after being arraigned on charges of scams, theft of public funds and money laundering.

“It’s a witch hunt,” he informed a crowd of press reporters. “I’m gonna fight my battle, I’m gonna deliver, I’m gonna fight the witch hunt, I’m gonna take care of clearing my name,” he said, including that he was preparing to run for re-election.

The 34-year-old congressman for New York’s 3rd District, who won his election after a campaign that was cluttered with lies about his past, was jailed soon after 9am after turning himself in to authorities.