Early Life and Education of George Santos: A Complete Timeline
How education and upbringing influenced the life of George Santos. A timeline of key moments.
George Anthony Devolder Santos is a former American politician and convicted felon who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district from January to December 2023, when he was expelled. He won the seat in 2022 after unsuccessfully running in 2020. Santos, who is openly gay, was the first openly LGBT Republican elected to Congress.
July 22, 1988: George Santos's Birth
On July 22, 1988, George Anthony Devolder Santos was born.
1998: Father's Remarriage
Around 1998, Gercino Santos, George Santos's father, remarried in his native state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
June 2001: Santos's mother living in Brazil
In June 2001, Fatima, George Santos's mother, reported that she was living in Brazil.
2005: Alleged Start of Dressing in Drag
According to two former acquaintances, George Santos allegedly began dressing in drag in 2005.
2007: Trip to the U.S.
In 2007, George Santos returned from a trip to the U.S. with expensive materials for a dress that were not available in Brazil at the time.
2008: Move to Niterói, Brazil
Around 2008, George Santos moved to Niterói, Brazil, where his mother was living.
2008: LGBT Activism and Drag Pageants
In 2008, George Santos was reportedly involved in LGBT activism and competed as a drag queen in Brazilian beauty pageants, using the name Kitara Ravache. However, Santos denied being a drag queen.
2011: Santos Leaves Brazil
Around 2011, George Santos left Niterói, Brazil.
2012: Coworkers speculate about Santos's marriage
In 2012, Santos's coworkers speculated that he got married to access wealth, appease family concerns about his sexuality, or assist his wife with immigration.
May 2013: Filing to dissolve marriage withdrawn
In May 2013, a filing to dissolve Santos's marriage was withdrawn.
December 2013: Roommate Moves into Apartment
In December 2013, a roommate moved into the first apartment after befriending Santos.
2013: Brazilian Court Described Santos as American
In 2013, a Brazilian court described George Santos as American.
July 2014: Immigration petition approved
In July 2014, Santos's family-based immigration petition on his wife's behalf was approved.
September 2014: Hamilton Loans Money
In September 2014, Peter Hamilton loaned Santos money for moving expenses.
2014: Santos Signed a Lease on Apartment
In 2014, Santos signed a lease on an apartment in Whitestone.
2016: Moved to Orlando, Florida
In early 2016, George Santos moved to Orlando, Florida, to work for HotelsPro.
March 2019: Santos speaks at #WalkAway Foundation event
At a March 2019 event held by the conservative #WalkAway Foundation, Santos (introducing himself as Anthony Devolder) claimed to have formed a group called United for Trump.
July 2019: Counter-Protest in Buffalo
In July 2019, United for Trump, led by George Santos, staged a counter-protest to an anti-Trump rally in Buffalo, New York, resulting in a fistfight.
2019: Santos claims he attended Horace Mann School
In 2019 and 2020, George Santos said that as a child, he attended the Horace Mann School, an elite preparatory school in the Bronx, before withdrawing because of family hardship.
January 2020: Santos claims Jewish ancestry
In a January 2020 appearance on Talking GOP, Santos claimed his maternal grandfather grew up Jewish and converted to Catholicism before the Holocaust. He also claimed, "I believe we are all Jewish, at the end – because Jesus Christ is Jewish."
July 2020: Moved to Whitestone
In July 2020, George Santos and his partner moved to a rowhouse in Whitestone, Queens.
October 2020: Santos claims support from Steve Israel
On an October 2020 radio show, George Santos claimed that Democratic former congressman Steve Israel offered him his support during an event hosted by the Council for a Secure America, a claim Israel denied.
2020: Santos claims he attended Horace Mann School
In 2019 and 2020, George Santos said that as a child, he attended the Horace Mann School, an elite preparatory school in the Bronx, before withdrawing because of family hardship.
2020: Santos claims biracial identity
In 2020, George Santos claimed that he was biracial and that his Brazilian-born father had Angolan roots.
2020: President of United for Trump
In 2020, George Santos was the president of United for Trump.
2020: Santos living with partner
In 2020, Santos stated he was living with a partner named Matheus Gerard.
January 6, 2021: Attendance at Rallies
On January 6, 2021, George Santos spoke at a "Stop the Steal" rally and attended Trump's Save America rally in Washington, D.C.
January 2021: Alleged vandalism
In January 2021, there was an alleged vandalism incident at George Santos's apartment.
July 2021: Santos writes 9/11 claimed his mother's life
In July 2021, George Santos wrote that "9/11 claimed my mothers [sic] life".
October 2021: Santos claims mother was 'caught up in ash cloud' during 9/11
In an October 2021 interview, George Santos said his mother was "caught up in the ash cloud" during 9/11 but "never applied for relief" because the family could afford the medical bills.
November 2021: Santos claims to wed Matheus Gerard
In November 2021, Santos claimed that he wed Matheus Gerard.
March 2022: Alleged vandalism incident
In March 2022, George Santos told Newsday that he left Whitestone because of an alleged January 2021 vandalism incident.
July 2022: Grenell Formally Endorsed Santos
In July 2022, former ambassador Richard Grenell formally endorsed Santos.
August 2022: Moved out of Whitestone residence
In August 2022, George Santos moved out of the Whitestone residence, leaving $17,000 in damages.
December 2022: Santos claims his parents survived 9/11
In December 2022, George Santos claimed that his parents survived being "down there" at the World Trade Center during 9/11.
December 26, 2022: Santos claims to be 'Jew-ish'
During a December 26, 2022 interview, George Santos said: "I never claimed to be Jewish. I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was 'Jew-ish'".
December 27, 2022: RJC asserts Santos no longer welcome at events
On December 27, 2022, the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) asserted that George Santos would no longer be welcome at RJC events because he had "'deceived' the organization and 'misrepresented' his Jewish heritage".
2022: Santos calls abortion barbaric
In a 2022 speech to the Whitestone Republican Club in Whitestone, Queens, George Santos called abortion "barbaric" and compared it to slavery.
January 21, 2023: Bowen Yang portrays Santos on Saturday Night Live
On January 21, 2023, Bowen Yang portrayed George Santos on Saturday Night Live.
February 2023: Santos insists mother was at World Trade Center
In his February 2023 Piers Morgan interview, George Santos insisted his mother had been at the World Trade Center the day of the attack.
March 11, 2023: Bowen Yang reprises Santos role on Saturday Night Live
On March 11, 2023, Bowen Yang reprised his role as George Santos on Saturday Night Live, parodying the Oscars red carpet.
March 12, 2023: Jimmy Kimmel jokes about Santos at the Academy Awards
On March 12, 2023, Jimmy Kimmel joked about George Santos while hosting the 95th Academy Awards.
May 2023: Santos claims DNA vindicates Jewish ancestry claim
In a May 2023 podcast, Santos claimed that his claim to Jewish ancestry was vindicated by DNA test kits; however, he did not reveal the DNA information. Santos said he was raised Catholic but considered himself a "member of the tribe" because his mother's ancestry was predominantly Jewish.
November 2023: Santos promises to provide proof of Jewish ancestry
In November 2023, George Santos reportedly said that he was "finishing getting the last pieces" of evidence that his grandparents, after emigrating to Brazil, had forged documents that enabled them to "blend in and all of that".
November 2023: Funeral Home Still Owed Money for Santos' Mother's Funeral
In November 2023, Vanity Fair reported that the funeral home never received the $6,000 it was owed for its services for George Santos' mother's funeral.
December 2023: Movie on Santos's life in development
In December 2023, it was reported that a movie on George Santos's life was in development for HBO Films.
2023: Santos attends Trump rally
In 2023, George Santos attended a rally of supporters outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was arraigned on felony charges of falsifying business records.
