Challenges Faced by George Santos: Obstacles and Turning Points

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped George Santos's life and career.

George Santos is a former American politician and convicted felon who served as a U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district in 2023 before being expelled from Congress. He initially ran for the seat unsuccessfully in 2020. After the incumbent opted not to run in 2022, Santos won the election, becoming the first openly LGBTQ Republican elected to Congress. His tenure was short-lived due to various controversies and ultimately his expulsion.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2008: Santos Forged Checks in Brazil

In 2008, while in Brazil, George Santos forged checks stolen from a man his mother was caring for, to buy R$1,313 (about US$700) worth of clothing.

2009: Rocco Oppedisano's Legal Issues

In 2009, Rocco Oppedisano, brother of Il Bacco's owner, had his permanent resident status revoked after guns and drugs were seized from his properties. This later created issues related to campaign donations.

2010: Santos Confessed to Check Fraud in Brazil

In 2010, George Santos confessed to police in Brazil for check fraud committed in 2008, before he was formally charged.

December 2013: Santos Moves into Apartment with Roommates

In December 2013, Yasser Rabello, a onetime roommate, moved into an apartment with George Santos, his mother, sister, and later his boyfriend, finding that Santos' finances fluctuated wildly.

2013: Brazilian Charges Against Santos

In 2013, Brazilian charges were filed against George Santos, which were later discovered by Pedro Vilarva in 2015.

2013: Brazilian Case Archived Due to Santos's Whereabouts Unknown

In 2013, the case against George Santos for check fraud was archived by a Brazilian court because authorities were unable to locate him.

September 2014: Hamilton Loans Money to Santos

In September 2014, Peter Hamilton made a loan to George Santos for moving expenses.

2014: Santos Locked Out of Apartment

During the summer of 2014, George Santos was locked out of his apartment and claimed he needed access to feed pet fish, which roommates disputed existed.

October 2015: Judgment Against Santos for Unpaid Loan

In October 2015, a small claims court judge ordered George Santos to pay Peter Hamilton $5,000 plus interest for an unpaid loan from September 2014.

2015: Relationship with Vilarva Sours

In early 2015, George Santos's relationship with Pedro Vilarva soured after Vilarva stopped believing Santos's promises. Vilarva believed that Santos had pawned his cell phone and discovered the 2013 Brazilian charges against Santos, leading him to move out.

January 2016: Santos Claims to be Mugged

In mid-January 2016, George Santos told Queens Housing Court that he was mugged on his way to make a payment, but the NYPD has no record of the incident.

May 2016: GoFundMe Page Set Up

In May 2016, Anthony Devolder (one of Santos's aliases), set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for surgery to remove a life-threatening stomach tumor from Richard Osthoff's service dog.

January 2017: Service Dog Dies

In January 2017, Richard Osthoff's service dog died after GoFundMe funds raised by Santos were allegedly not received. GoFundMe banned Santos at the end of 2016.

March 2017: Fundraiser Held for Pet Rescue Operator

In March 2017, George Santos held a fundraiser for a pet rescue operator in the Bronx, promising to raise thousands of dollars, but only sent her a check for $400, leading her to stop working with him.

September 2017: Animal Rescue Groups Registration Requirement

From September 2017 animal rescue groups were required to register with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, a requirement that Santos's charity, FOPU, did not meet.

November 2017: Santos Charged with Theft by Deception

In November 2017, George Santos was charged with theft by deception in York County, Pennsylvania, after bad checks were written to an Amish dog breeder from his account for "puppies".

2017: Fundraiser for Veterinary Technician's Farm

In 2017, FOPU, with George Santos controlling the money, held a fundraiser event for a veterinary technician, charging $50 per attendee and raising $2,165 to repair her farm in New Jersey for animal rescue, but the technician claimed she never received the proceeds.

2017: Civil Judgment Entered Against Santos for Unpaid Rent

In 2017, a Queens court entered a civil judgment of $12,208 against George Santos in his third known eviction case. In housing court, he said he would seek emergency rental assistance, attributing his family's debt to his mother's illness.

2020: Santos Described as "Walking Campaign-Finance Violation"

During George Santos's 2020 campaign, a consultant described him as "a walking campaign-finance violation", suggesting donors bypass contribution limits.

2020: Campaign Spending at Il Bacco Restaurant

During his two congressional runs in 2020 and 2022, George Santos reported spending over $25,000 at Il Bacco, a New York City restaurant. He also spent $19,000 for his election night victory party.

2020: Donations to Republican Candidates for State Office

During the 2020–22 election cycle, George Santos's campaign and PACs made over 20 donations to Republican candidates for state office, with no corresponding reports on FEC filings, raising concerns about transparency.

2020: Santos Allegedly Obtains Unemployment Benefits

During the COVID-19 pandemic, George Santos allegedly began obtaining unemployment benefits while drawing an annual salary of $120,000.

2020: Reported Net Worth and Harbor City Capital Income

In 2020, George Santos reported a net worth of $5,000 and $50,000 in income from Harbor City Capital, but later reports indicated significantly higher income and questionable loans.

2020: Santos Receives Extradition Warrant

In 2020, George Santos told a school friend that he had received an extradition warrant from Pennsylvania at his New York address regarding the 2017 theft by deception charges.

2020: Santos's 2020 Campaign Received Fictitious Donations

In 2020, George Santos's campaign received numerous contributions from fictitious or nonexistent names and addresses, processed through WinRed. Mother Jones reported this in late January 2023, noting that twelve donations, totaling $30,000, were from individuals who denied having donated. Some relatives of Santos were also reported to have made large donations which they denied making.

2020: Unauthorized Charges on Contributor's Credit Card

In 2020, a contributor to George Santos's campaign discovered unauthorized charges on their credit card, totaling nearly $15,000 and made through WinRed. TPM reported that despite the contributor's decision not to continue supporting Santos, these charges were recorded.

2020: Campaign Finance Discrepancies

In 2020, an examination of George Santos's campaign finance reports revealed discrepancies, including a donation to Trump's campaign exceeding the cycle limit and contributions to nonexistent or unrecorded Republican organizations.

April 2021: End of Unemployment Benefits

George Santos allegedly obtained $24,000 in unemployment benefits from mid-2020 to April 2021 while drawing an annual salary of $120,000.

July 2021: Loan to GADS PAC and Donation to Lee Zeldin's Campaign

In July 2021, George Santos loaned GADS PAC $25,000, which was then donated to Lee Zeldin's campaign, raising questions about the legality and ethical implications of the transaction.

December 2021: Confrontation Over Santos' Interest in Red Strategies

In December 2021, the House Ethics Committee reported that a witness working for the Forte campaign confronted George Santos about his failure to disclose his interest in Red Strategies. The witness noted Santos's name on the incorporation papers. Santos responded that he had merely bought into the company in August.

2021: Unauthorized Charges Continued, Refunded by American Express

During 2021, a contributor to Santos's 2020 campaign continued to find unauthorized charges, totaling nearly $15,000, on their credit card made through WinRed. The full refund was later provided by American Express after WinRed initially failed to find a record of these transactions but eventually refunded $2,000.

2021: FEC Letters on Disclosure Report Problems

During 2021–22, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) wrote over 20 letters to George Santos's campaign about problems with its disclosure reports, including excessive contributions and insufficient loan information.

2021: Rise NY Made Santos' Rent Payments

For two months in 2021, Rise NY made George Santos's $2,600 rent payments and later paid $1,800 for three tickets for Santos and two guests to attend a gala sponsored by the Liberty Education Forum.

2021: Santos Recommended Red Strategies USA to Forte's Campaign

In 2021, Demauro, Forte's campaign manager, stated that George Santos recommended hiring Red Strategies USA as a consultant without disclosing his own interest in the firm. The agreement allocated 80 percent of raised funds to the firm, which Demauro believed the campaign was trying to obfuscate. Marks repeatedly ignored requests for bank statements, and paychecks were frequently late.

2021: Lavish Spending on Republican Fundraisers

In 2021, George Santos's campaign spent over $5,000 on flights and hotel stays for Republican fundraisers, a time when the next congressional election was almost two years away and he had no primary challenger, later escalating to $90,000.

2021: Unauthorized Contributions to Tina Forte's Campaign

In 2021, a donor's credit card was used for unauthorized contributions to Tina Forte, totaling $2,900 each. Similarly, another donor to Forte found a $5,800 charge on their card, far exceeding their intended donation. After complaints, refunds were issued.

2021: Marks Admits to Fabricating Contributions, Santos Indicted

In 2021, federal prosecutors revealed that Marks confessed to fabricating contributions from Santos's family members to make the campaign appear to have raised more than $250,000 from third parties. This allowed the campaign to qualify for assistance from the Republican National Committee (RNC) and discourage other candidates. Shortly after Marks's guilty plea, Santos was indicted on charges related to this scheme.

2021: Initial Campaign Finance Report

In early 2022, the campaign filed amended reports making changes to the expenses initially reported at the end of 2021.

2021: Funds Raised for Voter Registration Diverted to Outspoken Middle East

In late 2021, over $55,000 George Santos raised with the promise of registering voters was instead diverted to Outspoken Middle East, an LGBTQ news platform aimed at that region of the world.

2021: Missing Loan Records to GADS PAC

The House Ethics Committee found no record of George Santos's 2021 loan to GADS PAC in the bank records, further suggesting financial irregularities.

2021: RedStone Received Payments from Forte's Campaign

Throughout 2021, RedStone received $110,000 in 76 payments from Tina Forte's campaign, whose treasurer was also a co-owner of RedStone along with Marks and the Devolder Organization. Forte's campaign's FEC reports also showed some issues, such as many unnamed donors and $14,000 in reimbursements to the candidate for unnamed personal expenses.

February 2022: Personal Spending Discovered

In February 2022, George Santos spent $1,700 at two Atlantic City casinos, $1,500 at a pet store, and smaller amounts on JetBlue, various retailers, and the Adventureland amusement park using campaign funds.

April 2022: Rise NY PAC Paid RedStone

In April 2022, Rise NY, a PAC established by Marks and Tiffany Santos, paid RedStone $6,000.

April 2022: Repayment of GADS PAC Loan

Starting in April 2022, GADS PAC, repaid Santos in four installments over two months for his loan from July 2021. Santos had effectively arranged for his campaign contributors to repay the loan, raising concerns about campaign finance practices.

September 2022: Dissolution of Company in Florida

In September 2022, George Santos's company, registered in Florida, was dissolved for failing to file annual reports.

September 2022: North Shore Leader Questions Santos's Background

In September 2022, The North Shore Leader questioned Santos's employment, financial disclosures, and claims of wealth. Other media outlets did not report on the matter until after the election.

December 2022: Santos Admits to Unpaid Rent

As of December 2022, George Santos had yet to pay the rent he owed from 2017, stating he "completely forgot about it".

December 2022: Hamilton Confirms Judgment Unpaid

In December 2022, Peter Hamilton told The Times that the $5,000 judgment against George Santos from October 2015 had not been paid.

December 2022: FEC Letter on Disclosure Report Problems

In December 2022, the FEC wrote to Nancy Marks, then George Santos's fundraising treasurer, about problems with disclosure reports, including contributions from unregistered political organizations.

December 19, 2022: New York Times Reports Santos Lied About Biography

On December 19, 2022, after Santos had been elected to Congress but before he had taken office, The New York Times reported that he had lied about many aspects of his biography. His lawyer denied the allegations.

December 27, 2022: Republican Jewish Coalition Rejects Santos

On December 27, 2022, the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) asserted that Santos would no longer be welcome at RJC events because he had "'deceived' the organization and 'misrepresented' his Jewish heritage".

2022: Claimed Net Worth and Missing Loan

By 2022, George Santos claimed a net worth of $2.5 to $11 million but reported no U.S. property and had a missing $600,000 loan to his campaign, raising questions about his financial disclosures.

2022: 2022 Campaign Debt

By April 2024, George Santos’s 2022 campaign reported its debt had increased to nearly $800,000.

2022: Unauthorized Charges Continued, Refunded by American Express

During 2022, a contributor to Santos's 2020 campaign continued to find unauthorized charges, totaling nearly $15,000, on their credit card made through WinRed. The full refund was later provided by American Express after WinRed initially failed to find a record of these transactions but eventually refunded $2,000.

2022: Campaign Spending at Il Bacco Restaurant

During his two congressional runs in 2020 and 2022, George Santos spent over $25,000 at Il Bacco, a New York City restaurant; he had also entertained prospective Harbor City clients there. Santos's 2022 campaign reports owing Il Bacco nearly $19,000 for its election night victory party.

2022: Unitemized Expenditures

In 2022, George Santos's amended report revealed 1,200 separate payments of $199.99, totaling over $250,000, leading to questions about unitemized expenditures and potential campaign finance violations.

2022: Lack of Evidence for FOPU's Existence Found

In 2022, The Times found little evidence of the existence of Santos's alleged charity FOPU, other than a closed Facebook account.

2022: Ethics Committee Found Unreported Transfers

In 2022, the House Ethics Committee found "numerous unreported transfers to and from the campaign bank account" while reviewing bank records for Rise, RedStone and Santos's businesses. Some transfers went to accounts under Marks's control, $10,000 to the Devolder Organization, and $50,000 went between Rise and the campaign.

2022: New York Congressmen Call for Santos's Resignation

In January 2023, only eight days after the start of his tenure, four Republican New York congressmen who had also been elected in 2022, along with Joseph Cairo, called for Santos to resign from Congress.

2022: Amended Campaign Finance Reports

In early 2022, George Santos's campaign filed amended reports, including upward adjustments to expenses, such as a $60 meal at a Michigan sushi restaurant now reported as $199.99, raising suspicion about reporting practices.

January 2023: Accusations of Stolen GoFundMe Funds

In January 2023, Richard Osthoff and Michael Boll accused George Santos of stealing funds that were donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser for Osthoff's service dog's surgery.

January 2023: Rio de Janeiro Prosecutors Revive Fraud Charges

In January 2023, Rio de Janeiro prosecutors announced they would revive the fraud charges against George Santos, because they knew of his whereabouts.

January 2023: Ethics Complaint Filed, Formal Inquiry Announced

In January 2023, Ritchie Torres and Dan Goldman, House Democrats from New York, filed an ethics complaint with the House Ethics Committee regarding Santos's financial disclosure reports. In March, the House Ethics Committee announced a formal inquiry and created a subcommittee to investigate allegations of improper financial disclosures, sexual misconduct, and conflict of interest.

January 2023: Treasurer Denies Involvement in Campaign

In January 2023, reports listed Thomas Datwyler as George Santos' campaign treasurer, but Datwyler denied any involvement, claiming his name was forged. The FEC subsequently requested clarification from the Santos campaign regarding this discrepancy.

January 2023: Complaints Filed Against Santos

In January 2023, the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a complaint with the FEC alleging misuse of campaign funds, concealed funding sources, and falsified expenditures by George Santos. Simultaneously, End Citizens United (ECU) filed separate complaints with the FEC, DOJ, and Office of Congressional Ethics. Additionally, Accountable.US filed another FEC complaint by the end of the week, alleging over $100,000 in excessive contributions.

January 2023: Fictitious Donations to Santos' 2020 Campaign Discovered

In late January 2023, Mother Jones revealed that many contributions to George Santos's 2020 campaign were attributed to fictitious or nonexistent names and addresses via WinRed. Additionally, $30,000 in contributions were allegedly from real people who denied making those donations. Relatives of Santos also denied making reported donations.

January 2023: McCarthy Addresses Questions About Santos' Resume and Miele's Actions

In mid-January 2023, Kevin McCarthy addressed the questions about George Santos's falsified resume. Santos's campaign paid $50,000 to Miele, who impersonated Kevin McCarthy's chief of staff. Some contributors said they felt cheated after Santos's false claims about Wall Street experience and being Jewish were revealed.

January 24, 2023: Deadline to Correct FEC Violations

George Santos's campaign had until January 24, 2023, to correct FEC violations outlined in a December 2022 letter, including contributions from unregistered political organizations and insufficient disclosures.

February 2023: Sexual Harassment Complaint Filed Against Santos

In February 2023, Derek Myers filed a sexual harassment complaint against George Santos with the House Ethics Committee, alleging inappropriate touching and violation of House rules.

February 2023: Santos Denies Handling FOPU Finances

In February 2023, George Santos said he "never handled the finances" of FOPU, despite claims from volunteers and groups that dealt with FOPU that he seemed to be the only person who did so.

February 2023: Santos Solicited Contributions to Rise Despite No Official Connection

In February 2023, Mother Jones reported that George Santos regularly solicited contributions to Rise, despite having no official connection, and personally delivered checks from it. Additionally, in late 2021, over $55,000 Santos raised with the promise of registering voters was diverted to Outspoken Middle East.

February 2023: Report of Additional Unpaid Amish Dog Breeders

In February 2023, The Washington Post reported that three other Amish dog breeders allegedly were never paid by George Santos but never filed police reports.

March 2023: Reported Yacht Sale

In March 2023, George Santos reportedly brokered a $19 million yacht sale between two major campaign contributors, sparking concerns about potential campaign finance violations.

March 2023: Plea Bargain Announced

In March 2023, prosecutors announced a plea bargain with George Santos regarding the fraud charges.

April 2023: Unreceived Funds from Joint Fundraiser

In April 2023, Texas representative Beth Van Duyne reported that her campaign had never received its share of a joint fundraising committee (JFC) created for a fundraiser held with Santos in July 2022, raising concerns about potential misuse of funds.

May 2023: Santos Settles Bad Check Charges

In May 2023, George Santos formally settled the bad check charges, agreeing to pay 24,000 Brazilian reais (almost US$5,000), with most compensating the defrauded salesman and the remainder donated to charity.

May 2023: Santos Indicted on 13 Criminal Charges

In May 2023, a grand jury indicted George Santos on 13 criminal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making false statements to the House of Representatives.

May 2023: Democrats Introduce Resolution to Expel Santos

In May 2023, after Santos was indicted on federal charges, Robert Garcia and other House Democrats introduced a resolution to expel Santos from the House. The House approved a motion to send the resolution to the Ethics Committee.

May 2023: Santos Files New FEC Paperwork and Hires New Treasurer

In May 2023, following his indictment, George Santos filed new FEC paperwork listing himself as treasurer. A day later, he hired Jason D. Boles, who had previously worked as a treasurer for Marjorie Taylor Greene. CREW also filed another FEC complaint, alleging that Olson, a name associated with the campaign, was fictitious.

May 2023: Ethics Committee Expanded Investigation

In May 2023, the House Ethics Committee expanded its investigation into George Santos to include the unemployment fraud alleged in the federal indictment. The committee sought the cooperation of 40 witnesses and subpoenaed 30 others.

June 2023: Prosecutors Provide Evidence to Santos's Lawyers

By June 2023, prosecutors turned over 80,000 pages of material to George Santos's lawyers regarding his indictment.

July 2023: Campaign Funds Raised and Refunded

In July 2023, George Santos's campaign reported raising $133,000 but refunded $85,000 to him, with many donors linked to Chinese billionaire Miles Guo.

July 2023: Suspicions of Inflated WinRed Fees by Red Strategies USA

In July 2023, Tina Forte's campaign manager suspected Red Strategies USA, partly owned by George Santos, of inflating WinRed's fees in campaign reports. For example, $35,000 in "credit card fees" was reported when WinRed typically charges only 4%, suggesting an excessive amount given the campaign's fundraising. NBC News found similar discrepancies in Santos's campaign's use of WinRed.

July 2023: Santos's Office Lags in Constituent Service

Roll Call reported in July 2023 that Santos's office lagged behind those of members from neighboring districts in handling constituent service requests.

August 2023: Santos Initially Declines Plea Deal

In August 2023, George Santos said he would not consider a plea deal at the time.

September 2023: Late Financial Disclosures Filed

In September 2023, George Santos filed his personal financial disclosures 20 months late, revealing discrepancies between his reported net worth and income.

October 5, 2023: Marks Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance Violations

On October 5, 2023, Marks pleaded guilty in federal court in Long Island to numerous campaign finance violations and a plea agreement recommended a prison sentence of 42 months to four years.

October 2023: Expulsion Vote Fails

Following the failure of an October 2023 vote to expel him from the House, Santos indicated he would run again in 2024 even if expelled.

October 2023: Santos Denies Knowing Osthoff

In October 2023, George Santos denied even knowing Richard Osthoff to the Times, which reported having text messages suggesting otherwise. The FBI is investigating Osthoff's allegations.

October 2023: Superseding Indictment on Credit Card Fraud Charges

In October 2023, George Santos was accused in a superseding indictment of unauthorized use of donor credit cards, leading to charges of aggravated identity theft and credit card fraud.

October 2023: Indictment for Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft

In October 2023, George Santos's indictment suggests at least $11,000 was spent on luxury items using money obtained through credit card fraud and identity theft, allegedly diverting donor funds.

November 2023: Santos Reverses Course, Will Not Seek Re-election

In November 2023, after the House Ethics Committee's report made further fraud allegations against Santos, he reversed course and announced that he would not seek re-election.

December 2023: Expulsion from Congress

In December 2023, George Santos was expelled from the U.S. Congress, ending his term as the U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district.

2023: Speculation of Campaign Contribution Evasion

In 2023, campaign finance lawyer Brett Kappel speculated that the failure to share funds from a JFC might indicate that George Santos's campaign was using the committee to evade campaign contribution limits, sparking further investigation.

2023: House Democrats Announce Resolution to Censure Santos

Later in 2023, House Democrats announced they would introduce a resolution to censure Santos. Five New York Republicans who had already called on Santos to resign said they would vote for censure, as did Ohio Republican Max Miller.

February 2024: Santos Lashes Out After Special Election Loss

After Suozzi won the February 2024 special election to fill Santos's seat, leaving the House Republicans with an even narrower majority, Santos lashed out at his former Republican colleagues who had voted to expel him in a group text.

February 2024: Santos Sues Jimmy Kimmel

In February 2024, George Santos sued Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and The Walt Disney Company for $750,000, claiming Kimmel intended to "ridicule" him after Kimmel aired Cameo videos he paid for.

April 2024: Campaign Debt Increase

By April 2024, George Santos’s 2022 campaign reported no fundraising or spending, but its debt had increased to nearly $800,000, primarily from loans claimed to be from Santos personally.

May 2024: Santos Moves to Dismiss Charges

In May 2024, George Santos moved to have some of the charges dismissed, relying on the Supreme Court ruling in the Dubin case to argue against the applicability of the identity theft statute.

August 19, 2024: Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Identity Theft

On August 19, 2024, George Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft as part of a plea deal. He admitted to committing the other crimes he was charged with, accepting full responsibility for his actions and acknowledging his ambition had clouded his judgment, leading to unethical decisions.

2024: Party Chairs Withdraw Support

In 2024, the state's Conservative and Republican Party chairs announced they would not support Santos's re-election bid.

2024: Expulsion Motion Fails

On November 1, 2023 the expulsion motion failed 213–179. In 2024, Santos dismissed the resolution as a political stunt.

February 7, 2025: Santos's Initial Sentencing Date

February 7, 2025, was initially scheduled for George Santos's sentencing. Federal guidelines suggested a 6–8 year sentence, with a maximum of 22 years. He was also required to pay restitution and forfeit additional funds.

March 2025: Sam Miele Sentenced to Prison

In March 2025, Sam Miele, a consultant for George Santos, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for unauthorized use of donor credit cards and lying about campaign expenditures, including defrauding one donor of $470,000. Miele had previously admitted to these actions.

April 2025: Sentencing Memoranda Filed

In April 2025, both the prosecution and Santos's lawyers filed sentencing memoranda with the court. Prosecutors requested a sentence exceeding seven years, citing Santos's deception, while his lawyers sought the minimum sentence of two years, attributing his actions to desperation related to his political campaign. Santos responded on X, declaring he would not succumb to their tactics.