By Mark Prussin
/ CBS New York
George Santos pleads not guilty to all 23 charges in advance of federal fraud trial
NEW YORK — George Santos is expected to plead guilty to charges stemming from allegations of fraud, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CBS News New York.
Santos, the former New York Republican congressman, is expected to enter a plea in federal court Monday in Central Islip, New York.
He was expelled from the House of Representatives last year and previously pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges alleging fraud, including misusing campaign funds.
Sides were preparing for trial next month
Santos appeared in a Long Island courtroom on Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing. His trial was scheduled to start in September.
Federal prosecutors asked the judge to let them submit lies Santos told on the campaign as evidence, arguing he “deliberately leveraged them to perpetuate the criminal schemes.”
The lies included:
- Graduating from Baruch College and New York University
- Being an accomplished college volleyball player
- Having grandparents who survived the Holocaust
- Working at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs
- Fabricating his family wealth
- Stealing from campaign contributors
Santos’ defense team asked the court for a partially anonymous jury, citing “extensive and largely negative media coverage,” and claiming “jurors could face harassment or intimidation.” The judge had agreed.
If convicted in a trial, Santos faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Mark Prussin is a digital producer at CBS New York. He covers breaking news, sports, politics and trending stories in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Mark joined the CBS New York team in 2019.
