The U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York issued a press release Friday, confirming Santos’ sentencing to 87 months in Prison and restitution to his victims in the amount of $373,749.97, along with $205,002.97 in forfeiture.
Per the DOJ, Santos was convicted of engaging in a criminal scheme during the 2022 Congressional election cycle with his campaign Treasurer, Nancy Marks, who also pleaded guilty.
According to the release, “Santos and Marks devised and executed a fraudulent scheme to obtain money for the campaign by submitting materially false reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), in which they inflated the campaign’s fundraising numbers for the purpose of misleading the FEC, a national party committee, and the public.”
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement, “Today, George Santos was finally held accountable for the mountain of lies, theft, and fraud he perpetrated. For the defendant, it was judgment day, and for his many victims, including campaign donors, political parties, government agencies, elected bodies, his own family members, and his constituents, it is justice.”
He added, “To Mr. Santos and other dishonest individuals of that ilk, who lie, steal identities and commit frauds to get elected to public office, this prosecution speaks to the truth that my Office is committed to aggressively rooting out public corruption and that public officials who criminally abuse our electoral process will end up in a federal prison.”
Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly observed, “George Santos spent his brief career in public service conning his donors and constituents until the deceit caught up to him and he was exposed as an opportunist and a fraud. Today’s lengthy prison sentence is a just ending for a weaver of lies who believed he was above the law, Being elected to represent any community is accepting a solemn responsibility and a position of great trust. George Santos failed the people he was elected to represent in Nassau County and Queens. He broke that trust and traded in his integrity for designer clothes and a luxury lifestyle. I will continue to work with my partners to root out public corruption and ensure that the crucial standards to which we hold our elected officials and public institutions are upheld.”
Following his sentencing, posted to X, Santos wrote,
“This is the hardest statement I have ever written. I write this humbled, chastened, and fully accountable for choices that shattered the faith so many placed in me. I betrayed the confidence entrusted to me by many. For that, I offer my deepest apology. When I pled guilty, I did so without reservation. I said then, and I repeat now, that my conduct betrayed my supporters and diminished the institution I was privileged to serve. Those words have weighed on me every day since. I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead. I asked the Court for a sentence that balances accountability with the chance to prove through sustained, measurable action that I can still contribute positively to the community I wronged. I believe that 7 years is an over the top politically influenced sentence and I implore that President Trump gives me a chance to prove I’m more than the mistakes I’ve made. Respectfully, George Santos.”
This is the hardest statement I have ever written. I write this humbled, chastened, and fully accountable for choices that shattered the faith so many placed in me. I betrayed the confidence entrusted to me by many. For that, I offer my deepest apology.
— Pants On Fire with George Santos (@MrSantosNY) April 26, 2025
When I pled guilty, I did…
According to The Associated Press, Santos reportedly sobbed during his sentencing and told the court through tears that he was “humbled” and “chastened,” and understood that he had betrayed his constituents’ trust. “I offer my deepest apologies,” he told the court, adding: “I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.”
U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert was unmoved per the AP report, “Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?” she asked, “It’s always someone else’s fault.”
Santos is scheduled to surrender to the federal authorities and begin serving his sentence on July 25.
