History of George Santos in Timeline
George Santos is a former American politician and convicted felon who served as the U.S. Representative for New York's 3rd congressional district in 2023 before being expelled from Congress. He initially ran unsuccessfully in 2020, but won the seat in 2022, defeating Democrat Robert Zimmerman. Santos made history as the first openly LGBTQ Republican elected to Congress. However, his tenure was short-lived and marked by controversy, leading to his expulsion.
1985: Mother Immigrated to Florida
In 1985, Fátima Devolder, George Santos's mother, immigrated to Florida and worked in agriculture.
July 22, 1988: George Santos's Birth
On July 22, 1988, George Anthony Devolder Santos was born.
1998: Parents' Marriage Ends
Around 1998, George Santos's parents' marriage appears to have ended, as his father remarried in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
June 2001: Santos's Mother Reported Living in Brazil
On her 2003 visa application, Santos wrote that his mother was the first female executive at a major financial institution, worked in the South Tower of the World Trade Center, and died a few years later after surviving the September 11 attacks. In June 2001, however, Fatima reported that she was living in Brazil.
2005: Began dressing in drag
According to former acquaintances, George Santos began dressing in drag around 2005.
2005: Citigroup Asset Management Division Sale
In 2005, Citigroup sold its asset management division, before the period George Santos claimed he was employed there.
2007: Trip to the US
Around 2007, George Santos returned from a trip to the U.S. with expensive materials for a dress.
2008: Moved to Niterói, Brazil
Around 2008, George Santos moved to Niterói, Brazil, where his mother was living.
2008: Check Fraud in Brazil
In 2008, after obtaining his high school equivalency diploma, George Santos forged checks, stolen from a man his mother was caring for, to buy R$1,313 (about US$700) worth of clothing in Brazil. He gave his name as Délio and presented identification bearing his photo but the check owner's name.
2009: Revocation of Permanent Resident Status
In 2009, Rocco Oppedisano's permanent resident status was revoked after guns and drugs were seized from his properties, making his campaign contributions illegal.
2010: Charged with Check Fraud in Brazil
In 2010, George Santos confessed to police and was charged with check fraud in Brazil. Santos had previously admitted to the theft in a message to the store clerk.
October 2011: Started working at Dish Network
In October 2011, George Santos began working as a customer service representative at Dish Network.
2011: Lived in Brazil until 2011
George Santos lived in Niterói, Brazil until 2011 with his mother, Fátima.
2011: Creation of 'Anthony Devolder' Wikipedia page
In 2011, a Wikipedia userpage created under the name "Anthony Devolder" claimed the account holder had acted in Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
2011: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark Opening
The musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark opened in 2011, during which George Santos was living in Brazil.
July 2012: End of Dish Network Employment
In July 2012, George Santos' employment at Dish Network ended.
July 2012: Ended employment at Dish Network
In July 2012, George Santos's employment as a customer service representative at Dish Network ended.
2012: Marriage to a Woman
In 2012, George Santos married a woman, despite later statements indicating he was openly gay at the time. Coworkers speculated reasons for the marriage included accessing familial wealth, appeasing family concerns, or assisting with immigration.
2012: Speculation About Santos's Marriage
In 2012, George Santos's coworkers speculated that his marriage was to access familial wealth, appease family concerns about his sexuality, or help his wife with her immigration status. A close friend claimed he was paid $20,000 for the marriage for immigration purposes.
May 2013: Initial Filing to Dissolve Marriage Withdrawn
In May 2013, George Santos and his wife initially filed to dissolve their marriage, but the filing was withdrawn in December of the same year.
December 2013: Santos moves into apartment with roommate
In December 2013, Yasser Rabello, a onetime roommate, described moving into the first apartment after befriending Santos; it had only two bedrooms and one bathroom, and Santos shared it with his mother, sister, then later his boyfriend and often another roommate.
2013: Relationship with Men
From 2013 on, George Santos was living with men he was involved with, despite being married to a woman at the time.
2013: Santos founded Friends of Pets United
From 2013, George Santos claimed to have rescued over 2,500 animals as founder and operator of a charity called Friends of Pets United (FOPU).
2013: Check Fraud Case Archived
In 2013, George Santos's check fraud case in Brazil was archived by a Brazilian court because authorities were unable to locate Santos.
2013: Brazilian charges against Santos
In 2013, Santos faced Brazilian charges, which his boyfriend at the time discovered in 2015.
2013: Brazilian Court Describes Santos as American
In 2013, a Brazilian court described George Santos as American.
2013: Claims of Modeling Career
In late 2013, George Santos told a roommate that he was a model who had worked at New York Fashion Week and would be appearing in Vogue.
2013: Worked for HotelsPro
Sometime after 2013, George Santos worked for HotelsPro, a subsidiary of MetGlobal.
July 2014: Immigration Petition Approved
In July 2014, George Santos filed a family-based immigration petition on his wife's behalf, which was approved. This is typically a sign that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services believed the marriage was valid.
September 2014: Hamilton makes loan to Santos
In September 2014, Peter Hamilton made a loan to George Santos for moving expenses, which Santos was later ordered to repay in October 2015.
2014: Santos signs lease on apartment
In 2014, George Santos signed a lease on an apartment in Whitestone.
2014: Social Events with Ex-Roommate
In 2014, George Santos was on friendly terms with his ex-roommate and they went to social events together.
2014: Claimed NYU graduate status
In 2014, Peter Hamilton recalled that George Santos claimed to be a graduate of NYU's business school.
2014: Eviction and financial instability
In the summer of 2014, George Santos was locked out of his apartment and told the housing court that he needed access to feed pet fish, which his roommate could not recall ever existing. Also in 2014, eviction notices were sent monthly, new roommates rapidly cycled through the apartment, and Santos' personal finances fluctuated wildly.
October 2015: Court orders Santos to repay loan
In October 2015, a small claims court judge ordered George Santos to pay Peter Hamilton $5,000 plus interest to repay a loan Hamilton made to Santos in September 2014 for moving expenses.
2015: Relationship with boyfriend sours
In early 2015, George Santos's relationship with his boyfriend soured when his boyfriend stopped believing his promises. After Santos's boyfriend came to believe Santos had taken his cell phone to pawn it, he discovered the 2013 Brazilian charges against Santos and moved out.
January 2016: Claimed Robbery
In January 2016, George Santos claimed to have been robbed of money he was on his way to give his former landlady's attorney in settlement of her eviction claim against him.
January 2016: Santos claims mugging, police have no record
In mid-January 2016, George Santos told Queens Housing Court that he was mugged on his way to make a payment, but police were unable to take a report at the time, telling him to return later. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has no record of the incident.
May 2016: GoFundMe page set up for service dog's surgery
In May 2016, a GoFundMe page was set up by Anthony Devolder (one of Santos's aliases) to raise money for surgery to remove a life-threatening stomach tumor from Richard Osthoff's service dog.
October 2016: Santos's address on Florida traffic ticket
In October 2016, George Santos's address was given on a Florida traffic ticket as one of his former residences in Winter Park, the same one jointly leased with Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha.
2016: Pulse Nightclub Shooting
In 2016 the Pulse nightclub shooting happened.
2016: Mother's death and funeral collection
In 2016, following the death of George Santos' mother, a priest recalled Santos stating that his family could not afford a funeral. A collection at a memorial Mass raised a "significant" amount for the family, which was given to Santos.
2016: Moved to Orlando, Florida
In early 2016, George Santos moved to Orlando, Florida, where HotelsPro was opening an office.
January 2017: Service dog dies after fundraiser funds allegedly stolen
In January 2017, the service dog of Richard Osthoff died after the GoFundMe fundraiser money was allegedly stolen by George Santos.
March 2017: Santos holds fundraiser, sends check
In March 2017, George Santos held a fundraiser for a pet rescue operator in the Bronx and then sent her a check for $400, leading her to stop working with him due to overpromising or skimming.
September 2017: FOPU should have registered with NY State Department of Agriculture
From September 2017, Friends of Pets United (FOPU) should have registered with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets as required of animal rescue groups.
November 2017: Santos charged with theft by deception in Pennsylvania
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.
2017: FOPU fundraiser for farm repair
In 2017, Friends of Pets United (FOPU) held a fundraiser event charging $50 per attendee to raise funds to repair a veterinary technician's farm in New Jersey for animal rescue. The event raised $2,165, with George Santos controlling the money.
2017: Santos's name surfaces in credit card skimming scheme
In 2017, George Santos's name came up in an international credit card skimming scheme perpetrated by Brazilians in Seattle. A search of a car found an empty FedEx box with his address on it.
2017: Civil judgment entered against Santos in eviction case
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.
2018: FOPU's operations continued
Until 2018, George Santos claimed to have rescued over 2,500 animals as founder and operator of a charity called Friends of Pets United (FOPU).
March 2019: Santos's Appearance 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 and asked Blaire White, a transgender YouTuber, how she could "help educate other trans people from not having to follow the narrative that the media and the Democrats put forward".
July 2019: Counter-Protest in Buffalo, New York
In July 2019, United for Trump, led by George Santos, staged a counter-protest to an anti-Trump rally in Buffalo, New York, which led to shouting and a fistfight.
November 2019: Launched Campaign for Congress
In November 2019, George Santos launched his campaign for the United States House of Representatives in New York's 3rd congressional district.
2019: Divorce
George Santos and his wife divorced in 2019, ending their marriage which began in 2012.
2019: Claimed attendance at Horace Mann School
In 2019, George Santos claimed that he attended the Horace Mann School as a child before withdrawing due to family hardship.
2019: Worked for LinkBridge Investors
In 2019, George Santos worked for LinkBridge Investors, where he was listed as a vice president but also described as a freelancer.
2019: Campaign Committee Formed
Shortly after being formed in 2019, George Santos's campaign committee made its first donations, $9,000 total, to Trump's presidential campaign committee and two local Republican organizations.
January 2020: Began Working for Harbor City Capital
In January 2020, shortly after launching his first campaign for Congress, George Santos began working for Harbor City Capital.
January 2020: Santos Claims Jewish Ancestry on Cable TV
In a January 2020 appearance on Talking GOP, a cable TV show he co-hosted, Santos claimed his maternal grandfather grew up Jewish, converted to Catholicism before the Holocaust, and raised his children Catholic. He also said, "I believe we are all Jewish, at the end – because Jesus Christ is Jewish."
June 2020: Opened Harbor City Capital Office in Manhattan
In June 2020, during his first run for Congress, George Santos opened an office for Harbor City Capital in Manhattan, becoming the firm's New York regional director.
July 2020: Move to Whitestone, Queens
In July 2020, George Santos and his partner moved to a rowhouse in Whitestone, Queens.
October 2020: Claimed Knee Replacement
In October 2020, George Santos claimed to have had both knees replaced.
October 2020: Santos Claims Support from Steve Israel
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 the claim.
2020: Alleged Campaign Finance Violation
During George Santos's 2020 campaign, a consultant described him as "a walking campaign-finance violation," alleging he suggested donors bypass contribution limits.
2020: Campaign Spending at Il Bacco
During his 2020 congressional run, George Santos reported having spent over $25,000 at Il Bacco.
2020: Fictitious Contributions During Santos' 2020 Campaign
During the 2020 campaign, Santos received contributions from fictitious or nonexistent names and addresses through WinRed, an online processor of small-donor contributions for Republicans. Many real people denied having donated the amount claimed.
2020: Discrepancies in Donations to State Candidates
During the 2020–22 election cycle, Santos's campaign and PACs made over 20 donations to Republican candidates for state office, but there are no corresponding reports on Santos's FEC filings.
2020: Start of Santos's alleged unemployment benefits fraud
From mid-2020 to April 2021, George Santos allegedly obtained a total of $24,000 in unemployment benefits while drawing an annual salary of $120,000.
2020: Refused to Accept 2020 Defeat
George Santos refused to accept his 2020 defeat and falsely claimed that the vote totals had been manipulated. He insisted that half the Democratic ballots should have been discarded.
2020: Stated election was stolen
George Santos said that the election he lost by 13 percentage points in 2020 was stolen from him.
2020: President of United for Trump
George Santos was president of United for Trump, a small New York-based group supporting Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign.
2020: Claimed MBA loan payoff
In 2020, George Santos claimed to have paid off his MBA student loans.
2020: Continued claims about Horace Mann School
In 2020, George Santos continued to assert that he had attended Horace Mann, despite the school denying those claims.
2020: First Congressional Run
In 2020, George Santos ran as a Republican for New York's 3rd congressional district, but was defeated by Tom Suozzi.
2020: Financial Disclosure Discrepancies
In 2020, George Santos reported a net worth of $5,000 and $50,000 from Harbor City Capital, but later reports exposed over $90,000 in income and $80,000 in mostly fictitious loans to his campaign.
2020: Living with Partner Matheus Gerard
In 2020, George Santos said he was living with a partner named Matheus Gerard, whom he has subsequently called his husband.
2020: Lack of Questions Regarding Claims
In 2020, George Santos stated that no one raised questions about his education claims during his campaign.
2020: Discrepancies in Campaign Finance Reports
In 2020, George Santos's campaign finance reports showed discrepancies in state and federal reports, including unreported donations to Trump's presidential campaign and nonexistent Republican organizations.
2020: Extradition warrant received in New York
In 2020, Tiffany Bogosian assisted in getting the charges dropped after Santos told her that he had received an extradition warrant from Pennsylvania at his New York address in 2020.
2020: Claimed Charitable Work for EB
In his 2020 campaign online biography, George Santos claimed he and his family had worked charitably on behalf of children born with epidermolysis bullosa (EB).
2020: Establishment of Rise NY PAC
In late 2020, after George Santos had lost the election to Suozzi, Marks and Tiffany Santos established a PAC called Rise NY, which later raised money from many Santos donors who had exceeded the $2,900 limit for direct campaign contributions.
2020: Santos' 2020 Campaign Receives Unauthorized Charges via WinRed
TPM reported that a contributor to Santos's 2020 campaign had discovered unauthorized charges totaling nearly $15,000 on their credit card, made through WinRed during 2021 and 2022.
2020: Reported Income from Devolder on 2020 Tax Return
The House Ethics Committee's investigation found that George Santos reported income from Devolder Organization on his 2020 income tax return, although he incorporated the LLC in May 2021.
January 6, 2021: Spoke at a "Stop the Steal" Rally
On January 6, 2021, George Santos spoke at a "Stop the Steal" rally the day before the attack on the Capitol. Later that day he attended Trump's Save America rally at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.
January 2021: Alleged vandalism incident
George Santos mentioned an alleged vandalism incident in January 2021, stating it was the reason he left Whitestone.
April 2021: End of Santos's alleged unemployment benefits fraud
From mid-2020 to April 2021, George Santos allegedly obtained a total of $24,000 in unemployment benefits while drawing an annual salary of $120,000.
April 2021: Harbor City Capital Paid Santos Through April 2021
Harbor City Capital paid George Santos at least through April 2021.
May 2021: Santos Incorporated Devolder Organization LLC and Applied for a Business Account
In May 2021, George Santos incorporated Devolder Organization LLC. In May 2021 when Santos applied for a business account, he told the bank that the organization made $800,000 in net profit every year and grossed $1.5M.
May 2021: Charges dropped against Santos
In May 2021, the charges against George Santos for theft by deception were dismissed after Santos ultimately paid the farmer who lodged the police report.
July 2021: Claim about mother's death
In July 2021, George Santos claimed that 9/11 was responsible for his mother's death.
July 2021: Loan to GADS PAC
In July 2021, George Santos loaned GADS PAC $25,000, which the PAC then donated to Lee Zeldin's campaign the next day.
August 2021: Endorsed by Elise Stefanik
In August 2021, U.S. representative Elise Stefanik endorsed George Santos and helped him raise over $100,000 at a fundraiser.
October 2021: Claim about mother at 9/11
In October 2021, George Santos stated that his mother was "caught up in the ash cloud" during the 9/11 attacks but never sought relief because the family could afford medical bills.
November 2021: Alleged Wedding to Matheus Gerard
In November 2021, George Santos claims that he wed Matheus Gerard, whom he had been living with since 2020.
November 2021: Santos's record expunged
In November 2021, George Santos's record was expunged regarding the theft by deception charge from 2017.
November 2021: Suozzi Announced He Would Not Seek Reelection
In November 2021, Tom Suozzi announced he would not seek reelection to Congress, improving Republicans' chances of winning the seat and George Santos becoming unopposed for the Republican nomination.
November 2021: RedStone Strategies Formed
RedStone Strategies was formed in November 2021 following complaints from the Forte campaign about Red Strategies. Santos represented himself as its "managing partner" while signing one contract with another vendor; he also used a RedStone email address in his capital introduction work.
December 2021: Santos Confronted About Failure to Disclose Interest in Red Strategies
In December 2021, the House Ethics Committee reported that a witness identified as working for the Forte campaign confronted George Santos about his failure to disclose his interest in Red Strategies. The witness noted that Santos's name was on the incorporation papers filed in May, but Santos responded that he had merely bought into the company in August.
2021: Santos Promised Contributions to Rise Were Being Spent to Build the Republican Party
During 2021, Intrater told Mother Jones that Santos had told him repeatedly that contributions to Rise were being spent to build the Republican Party in New York.
2021: FEC Letters on Disclosure Problems
During 2021, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) wrote over 20 letters to George Santos's campaign about problems with its disclosure reports.
2021: Santos Recommends Red Strategies USA to Forte Campaign Without Disclosing Interest
In 2021, Demauro, Tina Forte's campaign manager, said that George Santos recommended that they hire the similarly-named Red Strategies USA as a consultant in 2021 without disclosing that he had an interest in the firm. The agreement between the campaign and Red Strategies called for the firm to keep 80 percent of any funds it raised, an amount Demauro believes the campaign was trying to obfuscate with its initially inflated statements of WinRed credit card fees.
2021: Alleged Mugging in New York City
In 2021, George Santos claimed to have been mugged in New York City, where thieves stole his briefcase, watch, and shoes.
2021: Lavish Spending on Fundraisers
In 2021, George Santos's campaign spent more than $5,000 on flights and hotel stays for Republican fundraisers, with expenses reaching $90,000 by the end of the year.
2021: Unauthorized Charges via WinRed
In 2021, TPM reported that a contributor to Santos's 2020 campaign had discovered unauthorized charges totaling nearly $15,000 on their credit card, made through WinRed during 2021 and 2022. WinRed, accused of enrolling donors in unauthorized recurring contributions, initially failed to find a record of these transactions but eventually refunded $2,000. The full refund was later provided by American Express.
2021: Unauthorized Contributions to Tina Forte's Campaign
In 2021, a donor's credit card was used for unauthorized contributions to Tina Forte's campaign, totaling $2,900 each, which they had never authorized. 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 Making Up Contributions to Campaign
In 2021, federal prosecutors stated that Marks had admitted to creating contributions from family members of Santos and herself to make it appear that the campaign had raised over $250,000 from third parties in the third quarter of that year. This allowed the campaign to qualify for assistance from the Republican National Committee (RNC) and deter other candidates. Shortly after Marks's guilty plea, Santos was indicted on charges related to the scheme.
2021: Expense Adjustments
In early 2022, amended reports were filed with changes made to some of the expenses he had reported at the end of 2021. A $60 meal was reported as $199.99.
2021: Funds Raised for Voter Registration Diverted to LGBTQ News Platform
In late 2021, over $55,000 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: Rise NY Pays Santos' Rent
Newsday reported later that, for two months in 2021, Rise made Santos's $2,600 rent payments, and it later paid $1,800 for three tickets for Santos and two guests to attend a gala sponsored by the Liberty Education Forum, a group the PAC gave over $50,000. It also reported $6,500 in payments to Santos.
2021: RedStone Receives Payments from Tina Forte's Campaign
Over 2021, RedStone received $110,000 in 76 payments from Tina Forte's campaign, whose treasurer was the same former Harbor City coworker of Santos's and a co-owner of RedStone, along with Marks and the Devolder Organization. Forte's campaign's FEC reports have some issues as well, such as many unnamed donors and $14,000 in reimbursements to the candidate for unnamed personal expenses, along with the allegations from donors of unauthorized credit charges via WinRed.
2021: Missing Loan Records
The House Ethics Committee found that neither the 2021 loan to GADS PAC nor one for $2,000 were recorded in bank records.
February 2022: Campaign Spending on Personal Items
In February 2022, George Santos spent $1,700 at two Atlantic City casinos, $1,500 at a pet store, and smaller amounts on JetBlue and Adventureland using campaign funds.
March 2022: Claimed Departure from Whitestone Due to Vandalism
In March 2022, George Santos claimed that he left Whitestone because of an alleged January 2021 vandalism incident.
April 2022: Rise NY PAC Pays RedStone
In April 2022, the Rise NY PAC, which was established in late 2020 by Marks and Tiffany Santos after Santos lost the election to Suozzi, paid RedStone $6,000.
April 2022: Repayment of Loan
Starting in April 2022, GADS PAC repaid George Santos in four installments over two months, effectively arranging for his campaign contributors to repay the loan.
May 2022: Santos's May 2022 Campaign Financial Disclosure
In May 2022, George Santos's campaign financial disclosure said that Devolder Organization's assets were in the $1M to $1.5M range.
July 2022: Devolder's Revenue Estimated at Less Than $50,000
In July 2022, Dun & Bradstreet estimated Devolder Organization's revenue at less than $50,000.
July 2022: Joint Fundraising Committee
In July 2022, a joint fundraising committee created for a fundraiser held with Santos in Garden City, New York, reported raising $11,600.
July 2022: Grenell Formally Endorses Santos
In July 2022, former ambassador Richard Grenell formally endorsed George Santos. Grenell was also involved with starting Outspoken and spoke at a Santos fundraiser around the same time.
August 2022: Departure from Whitestone Residence
In August 2022, George Santos moved out of the Whitestone residence, leaving $17,000 in damages according to his landlord.
September 2022: Devolder Organization Dissolved
In September 2022, Devolder Organization was dissolved in Florida for failing to file annual reports.
September 2022: Questions Raised About Santos's Background
In September 2022, The North Shore Leader questioned Santos's employment, financial disclosures, and claims of wealth. However, other media outlets did not report on these issues until after the election.
November 2022: Santos Elected to Congress
In November 2022, George Santos was elected to the United States Congress
November 2022: Claimed Employee Losses in Pulse Nightclub Shooting
In a November 2022 interview, George Santos claimed that his company "lost four employees" in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting.
December 2022: Santos says he forgot about unpaid rent
As of December 2022 George Santos had yet to pay the rent he owed from 2017, saying he "completely forgot about it".
December 2022: Marriage Acknowledgment
In December 2022, George Santos acknowledged his previous marriage to a woman from 2012 to 2019, despite being openly gay for at least the preceding decade.
December 2022: Revised Story on Pulse Nightclub Shooting
In December 2022, George Santos changed his story about the 2016 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: Claim about parents at World Trade Center during 9/11
In December 2022, George Santos claimed that his parents survived being at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks.
December 2022: Hamilton says judgment unpaid
In December 2022, Peter Hamilton told The Times that the judgment from October 2015 against George Santos had not been paid.
December 2022: FEC Letter to Fundraising Treasurer
In December 2022, the FEC wrote to Nancy Marks, then Santos's fundraising treasurer, about problems with disclosure reports and potential violations.
December 19, 2022: NY Times Reports on Santos's Fabricated 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 21, 2022: Reports Question Santos's Claims of Jewish Heritage
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. His maternal grandparents were born in Brazil, not in Ukraine or Belgium.
December 26, 2022: Santos Clarifies His Jewish Identity
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 Condemns 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: Reported Net Worth Increase
By 2022, George Santos claimed a net worth of $2.5 to $11 million but reported no U.S. property, despite earlier claims. A $600,000 loan to his campaign was missing, but bank records showed $715,000 in loans from personal savings and Devolder accounts.
2022: Campaign Reports No Fundraising
By April 2024, George Santos’s 2022 campaign reported no fundraising or spending, but its debt had increased to nearly $800,000, with $630,000 in loans claimed to be from Santos personally.
2022: RedStone Paid Santos $200,000
During 2022 RedStone paid Santos at least $200,000; an October payment of $50,000 was used by Santos over the next month to spend over $4,000 at Hermés, pay for some OnlyFans subscriptions and pay his rent and credit card debts.
2022: Ethics Committee Finds Unreported Transfers to and from Campaign Bank Account
During 2022, the House Ethics Committee, in reviewing bank records for Rise, RedStone and Santos's businesses, found "numerous unreported transfers to and from the campaign bank account". Some went to other accounts under Marks's control, $10,000 to the Devolder Organization, and $50,000 went between Rise and the campaign, in amounts exceeding $20,000 at one point.
2022: Claim of Owning 13 Rental Properties
During his 2022 congressional campaign, George Santos claimed that he and his family owned 13 rental properties in New York.
2022: Claimed Producer Role in Spider-Man Musical
During his 2022 congressional campaign, George Santos told prospective donors that he was a producer for the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
2022: Campaign Spending at Il Bacco
During his 2022 congressional run, George Santos reported having spent over $25,000 at Il Bacco and his 2022 campaign reports owing Il Bacco nearly $19,000 for its election night victory party.
2022: Unitemized Expenditures
George Santos's early 2022 amended report showed $250,000 in $199.99 transactions. By the end of the campaign, unitemized expenditures exceeded $365,000.
2022: Claimed Attendance at SALT Conference
In 2022, George Santos claimed that while employed at Goldman Sachs seven years earlier, he had attended the SALT Conference and criticized the company for investing in renewable energy.
2022: Election to Congress
In 2022, George Santos won the election for New York's 3rd congressional district, becoming the first openly LGBTQ Republican elected to Congress.
2022: Brain Tumor Claim
In 2022, George Santos' campaign did not provide details or answer questions about his purported brain tumor.
2022: Unauthorized Charges via WinRed
In 2022, TPM reported that a contributor to Santos's 2020 campaign had discovered unauthorized charges totaling nearly $15,000 on their credit card, made through WinRed during 2021 and 2022. WinRed, accused of enrolling donors in unauthorized recurring contributions, initially failed to find a record of these transactions but eventually refunded $2,000. The full refund was later provided by American Express.
2022: Doubts emerge about FOPU's existence and activities
In 2022, The Times found little evidence of Friends of Pets United's (FOPU) existence other than a closed Facebook account. Former volunteers and associates described it as disorganized and said that far fewer animals were saved.
2022: Amended Campaign Reports
In early 2022, George Santos's campaign filed amended reports with changes made to some of the expenses he had reported at the end of 2021.
2022: NY Republicans Call for Santos's Resignation
On January 11, 2023, only eight days after the start of his tenure, four Republican New York congressmen who had also been elected in 2022—Anthony D'Esposito, Nick LaLota, Nick Langworthy, and Brandon Williams—called for Santos to resign. Joseph Cairo, the chair of the Nassau County Republican Party, also called for Santos to resign, saying that he had "disgraced the House of Representatives, and we do not consider him one of our congresspeople".
2022: Santos Frequently Refers to Purported Jewish Ancestry During 2022 Campaign
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.
2022: Website Change Regarding Charitable Work
Sometime during 2022, George Santos' campaign changed the website so it no longer mentioned EB; the revised language said that his family's charitable efforts were directed at "helping at-risk children and America's veterans".
January 2023: Claimed Baruch Volleyball success
In January 2023, George Santos falsely claimed he was a "star player" on the Baruch volleyball team, having won the league championship and defeated Yale University.
January 2023: Sworn into the House of Representatives
In January 2023, George Santos was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives, amidst increasing media scrutiny and demands for his resignation due to fabricated biography revelations.
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 where he was located.
January 2023: Ethics Complaint Filed with the House Ethics Committee
In January 2023, Ritchie Torres and Dan Goldman, House Democrats from New York, filed an ethics complaint with the House Ethics Committee over George Santos's financial disclosure reports.
January 2023: Campaign Treasurer Denies Involvement
In January 2023, Thomas Datwyler, who was listed as the campaign's treasurer in the January 2023 reports, denied any involvement and stated that his name was forged. The FEC requested clarification from the campaign.
January 2023: Accusations of stealing GoFundMe funds
In January 2023, retired U.S. Navy veteran Richard Osthoff and retired police officer Michael Boll accused George Santos of having stolen funds that were donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser.
January 2023: Complaints Filed Against Santos with the FEC and DOJ
In January 2023, the CLC filed a complaint with the FEC alleging that George Santos misused campaign funds for personal expenses, concealed the source of $700,000 given to his campaign, and falsified expenditures. Additionally, End Citizens United (ECU) filed separate complaints with the FEC, DOJ, and Office of Congressional Ethics. Accountable.US filed an additional FEC complaint alleging over $100,000 in excessive contributions.
January 2023: Fictitious Contributions to 2020 Campaign Discovered
In late January 2023, Mother Jones found that many contributions to George Santos's 2020 campaign were from fictitious or nonexistent names and addresses, all given through WinRed, an online processor. $30,000 of the $338,000 Santos reported raising from individual contributors were from real people who denied having donated the amount claimed.
January 2023: McCarthy Responds to Questions About Santos's Résumé and Miele's Actions
In mid-January 2023, McCarthy said though he had "some questions about it", he had "no idea" about the falsity of Santos's résumé when he ran, nor that Miele had posed as McCarthy's chief of staff, Dan Meyer. Some contributors to the Santos campaign said they were motivated to give to him because of his supposed Wall Street experience or his claim to be Jewish, both later found to be fictitious, and felt cheated in the wake of those disclosures.
January 21, 2023: Saturday Night Live Parody
On January 21, 2023, Bowen Yang portrayed George Santos on Saturday Night Live's cold open and Weekend Update segments.
January 24, 2023: Deadline to Correct Violations
On January 24, 2023, George Santos's campaign had until this date to correct violations noted by the FEC.
February 2023: Santos not identified as a suspect
As of February 2023, George Santos has not been identified as a suspect in the 2017 international credit card skimming scheme perpetrated by Brazilians in Seattle.
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 violations of House rules.
February 2023: Santos claims he never handled FOPU finances
In February 2023, George Santos said that he "never handled the finances" of Friends of Pets United (FOPU), although its volunteers and groups that dealt with FOPU said 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 despite no official connection to Rise, George Santos regularly solicited contributions to it and in some cases personally delivered checks from it, including two for $62,500 each to the Nassau County and Town of Hempstead Republican committees.
February 2023: Santos Co-sponsors Bill to Designate AR-15 as National Gun
In February 2023, Santos co-sponsored a bill to designate the "AR-15–style rifle" the National Gun of the United States.
February 2023: Report of other Amish dog breeders allegedly unpaid
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.
February 2023: Santos' Explanation for Resume Lies
In February 2023, during an interview with Newsmax, George Santos blamed his resume lies on the local Republican Party.
February 2023: Piers Morgan Interview
In February 2023, during an interview with Piers Morgan, George Santos insisted his mother was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, and accused people of insensitivity for questioning his mother's legacy.
March 11, 2023: SNL Oscar Red Carpet Parody
On March 11, 2023, Bowen Yang reprised his role as George Santos on Saturday Night Live, parodying the red carpet at the 2023 Oscars, where Santos would claim to be Tom Cruise.
March 12, 2023: Jimmy Kimmel's Oscar Joke
While hosting the 95th Academy Awards on March 12, 2023, Jimmy Kimmel joked that George Santos was the "last directing team to win an Oscar."
March 2023: Yacht Sale Controversy
In March 2023, George Santos reportedly brokered a $19 million yacht sale between two major campaign contributors, raising concerns about potential campaign finance violations.
March 2023: Prosecutors announce plea bargain
In March 2023, prosecutors announced a plea bargain with George Santos regarding the fraud charges.
April 2023: Fundraising Committee Dispute
In April 2023, Representative Beth Van Duyne reported that her campaign never received its share of a joint fundraising committee (JFC) created with Santos in July 2022.
April 2023: Santos Announces Re-election Bid, Faces Opposition
In April 2023, Santos's campaign announced that he would seek re-election in 2024. However, the state's Conservative and Republican Party chairs declared they would not support him.
May 2023: Santos Claims DNA Tests Vindicated Jewish Ancestry Claims
In 2023 media appearances, Santos claimed that his claim to Jewish ancestry was vindicated by DNA test kits; however, he did not reveal the DNA information. Santos said on a May 2023 podcast that he was raised Catholic but considered himself a "member of the tribe" because his mother's ancestry was predominantly Jewish.
May 2023: Ethics Committee Expands Investigation
In June, the committee announced that it was expanding its investigation to cover the unemployment fraud alleged in the May 2023 federal indictment of Santos. It announced that it had sought the voluntary cooperation of about 40 witnesses and subpoenaed 30 others.
May 2023: Santos settles bad check charges
In May 2023, George Santos formally settled the bad check charges by 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 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York indicted George Santos on 13 criminal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds.
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, requiring a two-thirds vote. 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, after his indictment, Santos filed new FEC paperwork listing himself as treasurer. The following day, he hired Jason D. Boles, who previously served as a treasurer for Marjorie Taylor Greene. CREW filed another FEC complaint alleging that Olson, presumably the prior listed treasurer, was fictitious.
June 2023: Prosecutors provide materials to Santos's lawyers
In June 2023, prosecutors turned over 80,000 pages of material to George Santos's lawyers.
July 2023: Campaign Fundraising and Refunds
In July 2023, George Santos's campaign reported raising $133,000 but refunded $85,000 to him. Many donors were linked to Chinese billionaire Miles Guo.
July 2023: Santos's Office Lags in Constituent Services
In July 2023, Roll Call reported that Santos's office was behind those of members from neighboring districts in handling constituent service requests.
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 reports. $35,000 in "credit card fees" was reported when WinRed typically charges only 4%, which suggested an excessive amount given the campaign's fundraising.
August 2023: Downplaying False Claims
In August 2023, George Santos downplayed the significance of false claims he made related to his job history, suggesting that lying on resumes is common.
August 2023: Santos says he would not consider plea deal
In August 2023, George Santos said he would not consider a plea deal at the time.
September 2023: Late Financial Disclosures
In September 2023, George Santos filed his personal financial disclosures 20 months late, raising further questions about his financial transparency.
October 5, 2023: Marks Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance Violations
On October 5, 2023, Marks pleaded guilty in a federal court in Long Island to numerous campaign finance violations. Her plea agreement recommended she serve between 42 months to four years in federal prison. Santos was indicted five days later on charges of wire fraud related to the diversion of funds to RedStone under the pretense that it was to buy television advertising when in fact none of it was, or could have been.
October 2023: Expulsion Vote Fails, Santos Initially Plans to Run Again
Following the failure of an October 2023 vote to expel him from the House, Santos stated he would run again in 2024, even if expelled before the election.
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.
October 2023: Claim About Niece's Disappearance
In October 2023, George Santos told the Times that his niece had vanished from a Queens playground, only to be found 40 minutes later in the company of two Chinese men, suspecting retaliation for his opposition to the Chinese Communist Party.
October 2023: Indictment for Fraud and Identity Theft
In October 2023, George Santos's indictment suggested that at least $11,000 in spending on luxury items was money obtained through credit card fraud and identity theft.
October 2023: Superseding Indictment Accuses Santos of Unauthorized Use of Donor Credit Cards
In October 2023, the superseding indictment accused George Santos of a scheme involving the unauthorized use of donor credit cards, leading to charges of aggravated identity theft and credit card fraud.
November 2023: Santos Claims to be Gathering Evidence of Jewish Grandparents' Ancestry
In 2023, Santos continued to promise proof of his grandparents' ancestry but cited the Russo-Ukrainian War as a complication. In November 2023, he said 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: Santos Reverses Course, Will Not Seek Re-election
In November 2023, after the House Ethics Committee's report revealed further fraud allegations against Santos, he reversed his decision and announced he would not seek re-election.
November 2023: Unpaid Funeral Home Bill
In November 2023, it was reported in Vanity Fair that the funeral home was never paid the $6,000 owed for Santos' mother's funeral services.
December 1, 2023: House of Representatives Votes to Expel Santos
On December 1, 2023, following an investigation by the House Ethics Committee and a federal indictment, the House of Representatives voted to expel George Santos.
December 2023: Expulsion from Congress
In December 2023, George Santos was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives.
December 2023: Movie in Development at HBO Films
In December 2023, it was reported that a movie about George Santos's life was in development by Frank Rich for HBO Films.
2023: Speculation on Campaign Contribution Limits
In 2023, Campaign finance lawyer Brett Kappel speculated that the failure to share the money might indicate that Santos's campaign was using the JFC to evade campaign contribution limits.
2023: Trelha claims Santos urged him to commit crime
In 2023, Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha made a sworn declaration to the FBI that he had committed the credit card skimming crime at the urging of George Santos, who taught him how to set up the skimmer and camera.
2023: Santos Attends Trump Rally
In 2023, Santos attended a rally of supporters outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump was arraigned on felony charges of falsifying business records.
2023: Santos Votes Against Fiscal Responsibility Act
In 2023, Santos was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.
2023: Boyfriend reveals Santos never worked
In 2023, Santos's boyfriend at the time, Pedro Vilarva, told the Times that Santos claimed he was expecting money from his investment work at Citigroup, but never actually went to work.
2023: Santos's Jewish Ancestry Claims Resurface
In early 2023, the video of Santos's claims from January 2020 regarding his maternal grandfather's Jewish heritage resurfaced. Santos had claimed that his maternal grandparents were Jewish Holocaust refugees who fled Soviet Ukraine and German-occupied Belgium.
2023: Lavish Spending after Expulsion
In the last quarter of 2023, even after being expelled from the House, George Santos's FEC filing reports a $1,300 expense at the Capitol Hill Club on December 4.
2023: House Democrats Announce Censure Resolution
Later in 2023, House Democrats announced they would introduce a resolution to censure Santos, requiring only a simple majority to pass. Five New York Republicans, who had already called for Santos's resignation, said they would vote for censure.
2023: Santos's Voting Record and Indictment Response
Throughout 2023, Santos voted in favor of key bills supported by the House Republican leadership. After his indictment in May 2023, House Republican leadership reiterated they would not seek to force Santos to resign or be expelled. A Democratic attempt to force a vote on expulsion was blocked and referred to the Committee on Ethics.
February 2024: Santos Sues Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Walt Disney Company
In February 2024, George Santos filed a lawsuit against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and the Walt Disney Company for $750,000, claiming Kimmel intended to "ridicule" him after Kimmel aired videos paid for by Kimmel on his show.
March 22, 2024: Santos Leaves the Republican Party
On March 22, 2024, Santos announced his departure from the Republican Party, stating that he could not affiliate himself with a party that "stands for nothing and falls for everything." He intended to continue his congressional campaign as an independent.
April 2024: Campaign Debt Increase
By April 2024, Santos’s 2022 campaign reported no fundraising or spending, but its debt had increased to nearly $800,000, with $630,000 in loans claimed to be from Santos personally.
April 2024: Santos Revives Drag Persona and Joins Cameo
In April 2024, George Santos announced he would revive his Kitara drag persona for Cameo videos, promising to donate a portion of the proceeds to charity. However, one of the charities, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, stated they were not informed of his plans.
April 23, 2024: Santos Drops Out of Congressional Race
On April 23, 2024, Santos dropped out of the race for the House in New York's 1st congressional district.
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.
August 2024: Santos Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Wire Fraud
In August 2024, George Santos pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud.
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, admitting to committing other crimes mentioned in the indictment. He accepted full responsibility, citing clouded judgment and unethical decisions.
August 19, 2024: Lawsuit Against Kimmel Dismissed
On August 19, 2024, a judge dismissed George Santos's lawsuit against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and the Walt Disney Company, stating that Kimmel's actions constituted protected "political commentary and criticism" under the fair use doctrine.
2024: Santos says he is still running for reelection
After being granted pretrial release on a $500,000 bond George Santos told reporters that this was a "witch hunt" and that he was still running for reelection in 2024.
2024: Santos Announces Challenge to LaLota
During the 2024 State of the Union Address in March, Santos announced he would run for the House in New York's 1st congressional district, challenging incumbent Republican Nick LaLota. LaLota responded by stating he would beat Santos in a primary if necessary.
2024: Boles Listed as Treasurer in Paperwork for 2024 Candidacy
In 2024, when Santos filed new paperwork after announcing his 2024 candidacy, Jason Boles was listed as treasurer for the campaign.
2024: Santos Deemed Candidate in 2024 Elections
In February 2024, the FEC informed Santos that his campaign had raised over $5,000 without debts, which qualified him as a candidate in the 2024 elections. He was given until March 14 to declare his candidacy and subsequently filed a statement confirming his candidacy.
February 7, 2025: Initial Sentencing Date Set
On February 7, 2025, George Santos was initially scheduled for sentencing. The federal sentencing guidelines suggested a 6-8 year sentence for the charges, with a potential maximum of 22 years. Santos would also be required to pay restitution and forfeit an additional amount, potentially through seizure of property.
March 2025: Miele Sentenced to Prison
In March 2025, Sam Miele, George Santos's consultant, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for his involvement in the unauthorized use of donor credit cards and lying about campaign expenditures, including defrauding one donor of $470,000.
April 2025: Sentencing Memoranda Filed
In April 2025, both the government and George Santos's lawyers submitted sentencing memoranda to the court. Prosecutors requested a sentence of over seven years, citing the extent of Santos's deception. The defense asked for the minimum sentence of two years, attributing his actions to political campaign desperation.
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