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 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

1985: Mother's Immigration to Florida

In 1985, Fátima Devolder, George Santos's mother, immigrated to Florida from Brazil, where she worked in agriculture.

July 22, 1988: George Santos Born

On July 22, 1988, George Anthony Devolder Santos was born. He later became a U.S. Representative for New York.

Others born on this day/year

1998: Parents' Marriage Ends

Around 1998, George Santos's parents' marriage ended. Gercino, his father, remarried in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

1999: Santos's Mother's Visa Application Claim

On her 2003 visa application, Santos's mother stated that she had not been in the country since 1999.

June 2001: Santos's Mother Living in Brazil

In June 2001, Fatima, George Santos's mother, reported that she was living in Brazil.

2003: Santos's Mother's Visa Application

On her 2003 visa application, Santos's mother stated that she had not been in the country since 1999.

2005: Started Dressing in Drag

In 2005, George Santos reportedly began dressing in drag, with some acquaintances stating that he competed as a drag queen in Brazilian beauty pageants.

2007: Trip to the U.S. with Expensive Materials for a Dress

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 in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area, where his mother was living.

2008: Involvement in LGBT Activism and Drag Pageants

In 2008, George Santos was reportedly involved in local LGBT activism in Brazil. Some acquaintances claimed he competed in drag beauty pageants.

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.

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.

2011: Santos's Residence in Brazil Ends

George Santos's residence in Niterói, Brazil ended around 2011. Acquaintances were unsure if he lived or just visited Brazil during that period.

May 2013: Filing to Dissolve Santos's Marriage

In May 2013, a filing to dissolve George Santos's marriage was withdrawn in December of the same year.

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 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.

July 2014: Immigration Petition Approved

In July 2014, George Santos filed a family-based immigration petition on his wife's behalf, which was approved, typically indicating that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services believed the marriage was valid.

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.

2014: Santos Signs Whitestone Apartment Lease

In 2014, George Santos signed a lease on an apartment in Whitestone.

2014: Santos Claims to be an NYU Business School Graduate

In 2014, Peter Hamilton recalled that George Santos claimed to be a graduate of NYU's business school but seemed not to know its name.

January 2016: Santos Claims Robbery of Money Intended for Landlady's Attorney

In January 2016, George Santos claimed to have been robbed of money he was on his way to give to his former landlady's attorney in settlement of her eviction claim against him.

2016: Santos Claims Family Could Not Afford Funeral

In 2016, following the death of George Santos's mother, a priest reported that Santos stated his family could not afford the funeral, leading to a collection at a memorial Mass to raise funds for the family.

2016: Pulse Nightclub Shooting

In November 2022, Santos referenced the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, but changed his story about it a month later.

2016: Moved to Orlando, Florida

In early 2016, George Santos moved to Orlando, Florida, where HotelsPro was opening an office. He registered to vote and changed his driver's license to reflect his Florida residence.

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.

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.

2019: Santos Claims Attendance at Horace Mann School

In 2019, George Santos claimed that he attended Horace Mann School as a child before withdrawing due to family hardship, a claim later denied by the school.

January 2020: Santos Claims Jewish Ancestry on Cable Show

In a January 2020 appearance on Talking GOP, Santos claimed his maternal grandfather grew up Jewish and converted to Catholicism. He also claimed "we are all Jewish, at the end – because Jesus Christ is Jewish."

July 2020: Santos Moves to Whitestone, Queens

In July 2020, George Santos and his partner moved to a rowhouse in Whitestone, Queens.

October 2020: Santos Claims Knee Replacement

In October 2020, George Santos claimed of having both knees replaced.

October 2020: Santos Claims Steve Israel Offered Support

On an October 2020 radio show, Santos claimed that Democratic former congressman Steve Israel offered him his support during an event hosted by the Council for a Secure America. Israel denied saying anything of the kind.

2020: Santos Claims to Have Paid Off MBA Student Loans

In 2020, George Santos claimed to have paid off his MBA student loans.

2020: Santos Claims Biracial Ancestry

In 2020, Santos claimed that he was biracial and that his Brazilian-born father had Angolan roots. Jewish Insider could not confirm this information.

2020: Santos Reiterates Claim of Attending Horace Mann School

In 2020, after Horace Mann School denied his attendance, George Santos asserted that he attended the school for six months in ninth grade, despite the school having no record of him under any variation of his name.

January 6, 2021: Attended Trump's Save America Rally

On January 6, 2021, George Santos attended Trump's Save America rally at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., before a mob of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol.

January 2021: Alleged Vandalism Incident

In March 2022, Santos claimed that he left Whitestone because of an alleged vandalism incident that happened in January 2021.

July 2021: Santos Claims Mother Died Due to 9/11

In July 2021, George Santos claimed that the death of his mother was a result of the 9/11 attacks.

October 2021: Santos Claims Mother was 'caught up in ash cloud'

In October 2021, George Santos stated that his mother was "caught up in the ash cloud" during the 9/11 attacks but that she "never applied for relief" because the family could afford medical bills.

November 2021: Santos Claims He Wed Matheus Gerard

In November 2021, George Santos said that he and Matheus Gerard wed.

2021: Santos Claims Mugging in New York City

In 2021, George Santos claimed to have been mugged in New York City, losing his briefcase, watch, and shoes. His description included a comment that has been characterized as an "overtly racist" stereotype about Black people.

March 2022: Santos Claims Vandalism Incident Forced Move From Whitestone

In March 2022, George Santos claimed that he left Whitestone due to an alleged January 2021 vandalism incident.

August 2022: Santos Moves Out of Whitestone Residence

In August 2022, George Santos moved out of the Whitestone residence, leaving $17,000 in damages, but records showed he was still registered there when he voted that November.

November 2022: Santos Claims Company Lost Four Employees in Pulse Nightclub Shooting

In a November 2022 interview, George Santos claimed that his company "lost four employees" during the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.

December 2022: Santos Changes Story About Pulse Nightclub Shooting

In December 2022, George Santos changed his story about the Pulse nightclub shooting, claiming that "We did lose four people that were going to be coming to work for the company that I was starting up in Orlando".

December 2022: Santos Claims Parents Survived 9/11 at World Trade Center

In December 2022, George Santos claimed that both of his parents survived being "down there" at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks.

December 2022: Santos's Marriage Acknowledged

In December 2022, George Santos's marriage to a woman from 2012 to 2019, despite being out and living with men from 2013 on, was reported. He acknowledged the marriage, stating he loved his then wife but had been openly gay for at least a decade.

December 21, 2022: Reports Surface Contradicting Santos's Jewish Heritage Claims

On December 21, 2022, following Santos's November 2022 election to Congress, The Forward and Jewish Insider reported that Santos's claims about his family's alleged Jewish heritage were false.

December 26, 2022: Santos Claims to be 'Jew-ish'

During a December 26, 2022 interview, 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: 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: Santos Claims to be Halakhically Jewish

At a meeting at the U.S.–Israel PAC a month before his 2022 election, Santos courted pro-Israel activists by falsely claiming to be "halakhically Jewish".

2022: Questions About Santos's Purported Brain Tumor

In 2022, George Santos's campaign did not give details or answer questions about his purported brain tumor.

2022: Santos Calls Abortion Barbaric

In a 2022 speech to the Whitestone Republican Club in Whitestone, Queens, Santos called abortion "barbaric" and compared it to slavery.

2022: Santos Refers to Purported Jewish Ancestry

Santos did not otherwise make much mention of his purported Jewish ancestry during his 2020 run, but referred to it frequently in 2022 when all the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination to replace Suozzi were Jewish.

January 2023: Santos Falsely Claims to be a 'Star Player' on Baruch Volleyball Team

In January 2023, George Santos falsely told a Republican Party chairman that he had been a "star player" on the Baruch volleyball team, winning the league championship and defeating Yale University, despite Yale not having a men's varsity volleyball team at the time.

February 2023: Santos Insists Mother Was at World Trade Center During 9/11 Attacks

In February 2023, during an interview with Piers Morgan, George Santos insisted that his mother was at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks and defended her legacy.

May 2023: Santos Claims Jewish Ancestry Vindicated by DNA Test Kits

In 2023 media appearances, Santos claimed that his claim to Jewish ancestry was vindicated by DNA test kits in May; 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.

October 7, 2023: Santos Suggests Police State After Hamas Attack

After the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, Santos said, "I think every inch of the United States at this point should be mapped out again and completely checked. I don't care if we go into a police state for a couple of months."

October 2023: Santos Claims Niece Vanished from Playground

In October 2023, George Santos told the Times that a few months earlier, his niece had vanished from a Queens playground, only to be found 40 minutes later in the company of two Chinese men, claiming it was retaliation for his opposition to the Chinese Communist Party. Investigators found no evidence to support the story and suspected it had been invented.

November 2023: Santos Promises Proof of Grandparents' Ancestry

In 2023, Santos reportedly said in November 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 Never Received Payment for Santos's Mother's Funeral

In November 2023, Vanity Fair reported that the funeral home never received the $6,000 it was owed for the services provided for Santos's mother's funeral.

2023: Vilarva Discusses Santos's Finances and Work

In 2023, Pedro Vilarva, Santos's boyfriend at the time of the lease in 2014, told the Times that Santos claimed to be expecting money from investment work at Citigroup, but he never went to work.

2023: Santos Attends Trump Rally

In 2023, Santos attended a rally of supporters outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was arraigned on felony charges of falsifying business records.

2023: Santos's Claims Resurface

In early 2023, the video of Santos's January 2020 appearance on Talking GOP resurfaced.

2024: Santos Declares Candidacy for 2024 Elections

In 2024, the FEC informed George Santos that his campaign had raised over $5,000 without debts, officially recognizing him as a candidate for the 2024 elections. He was given until March 14 to declare his candidacy, after which Santos filed a statement confirming his intention to run.