Mitochondrion (band)
George Santos | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 3rd district | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – December 1, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Suozzi |
| Succeeded by | Tom Suozzi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 22, 1988 |
| Political party | Independent (2024–present)[1] |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (2019–2024) |
| Website | House website (archived) |
| Criminal information | |
| Criminal status |
|
| Conviction(s) | Brazil: Felony check fraud United States: Wire fraud and aggravated Identity theft |
George Anthony Devolder Santos (born July 22, 1988) is an American former politician and convicted felon who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 3rd congressional district from January to December 2023, before he was expelled. He had run for the seat in 2020 but was defeated by incumbent Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi. Suozzi opted against seeking re-election in 2022, and Santos ran for Congress again. That time, Santos prevailed, defeating Democrat Robert Zimmerman. Santos, who is gay, is the first Republican to be openly LGBT before being elected to Congress.
Within six weeks of Santos's election, news outlets began reporting that much of his biography appeared to be fabricated. Santos admitted to having lied about his education and employment history, while his disclosures about his business activities, income, and personal wealth were inconsistent with one another. Further, Santos had not disclosed his criminal history or the existence of lawsuits against him. Santos was sworn in as a member of the House in January 2023, but faced ongoing media scrutiny as well as demands for his resignation from members of both parties.
On December 1, 2023, following an investigation by the House Ethics Committee and a federal indictment, the House of Representatives voted 311–114 to expel Santos. Santos is the first member of the House expelled without having previously been convicted of a crime or having fought for the Confederacy. He is also the sixth member of the House to be expelled and the first Republican. In August 2024, Santos pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud.[2][3]
Early life, family, and education
George Anthony Devolder Santos[a] was born on July 22, 1988,[7][b] to Fátima Alzira Caruso Horta Devolder and Gercino Antônio dos Santos Jr. (known as Junior), both of whom were born in Brazil;[9] he has a younger sister, Tiffany.[10]
His maternal grandparents, Paulo Horta Devolder and Rosalina Caruso Horta Devolder, were also born in Brazil. Three of his four maternal great-grandparents were also born in Brazil, with the other born in Belgium.[9] Fátima Devolder immigrated to Florida as a migrant worker to pick beans in 1985. She later moved to New York City and was a housekeeper, cook, and nanny.[11][12][c] Gercino Santos was a house painter.[14] Santos has claimed dual citizenship in the U.S. and Brazil.[15][d] In 2013, a Brazilian court described him as American.[17]
Santos has said his family was poor during his childhood, living in a rat-infested basement apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens, near a Brazilian immigrant enclave in Astoria. Relatives and friends recall that his parents and an aunt often bought him dolls, toys, and clothes despite their lack of money.[18] His parents' marriage appears to have ended by 1998, when records in Gercino's native state of Minas Gerais show that he remarried there. Santos remained close to his mother (living with her intermittently until her death) and maintained infrequent contact with his father.[19] According to a biographer, Santos developed a reputation within his family for deceit and theft during his childhood.[e]
Santos holds a [[Certificate of High School Equivalency|GED
- ^ Irwin, Lauren (March 22, 2024). "Santos says he's leaving GOP, will run as independent in New York House race". The Hill. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ Ashford, Grace; Gold, Michael; Fandos, Nicholas; Schweber, Nate (August 19, 2024). "George Santos Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Wire Fraud". The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
- ^ "Former Congressman George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft" (Press release). Brooklyn, New York: U.S. Department of Justice. August 20, 2024. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ^ Davis O'Brien, Rebecca; Gold, Michael (May 10, 2023). "Indictment". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 29.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. xxviii.
- ^ "SANTOS, George". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
SANTOS, George, a Representative from New York; born on July 22, 1988; unsuccessful candidate for election to the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress in 2020; elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress (January 3, 2023–present).
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 15.
- ^ a b Silverstein, Andrew (December 21, 2022). "Congressman-elect George Santos lied about grandparents fleeing anti-Jewish persecution during WWII". The Forward. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 30.
- ^ Silverstein, Andrew (January 18, 2023). "George Santos' latest doozy: Records show his mom wasn't in NYC on 9/11". The Forward. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Batista Jr., João (January 19, 2023). "Uma cascada de lorotas". piauí (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 25.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 21.
- ^ Stapleton, AnneClaire; Jones, Julia Vargas; Reverdosa, Marcia (January 4, 2023). "Rep.-elect George Santos admitted to using stolen checks in Brazil in 2008, documents show". CNN. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 23.
- ^ "Página 89 da V – Editais e demais publicações do Diário de Justiça do Rio de Janeiro (DJRJ) de 7 de Outubro de 2013" [Page 89 of V – Notices and other publications of the Rio de Janeiro Justice Gazette (RJJG) of October 7, 2013] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário de Justiça do Rio de Janeiro. October 7, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2023 – via jusbrasil.com.br.
O MM. Juiz de Direito, Dr.(a) Ricardo Alberto Pereira – Juiz Titular do Cartório da 2ª Vara Criminal da Comarca de Niterói, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, FAZ SABER que o Promotor de Justiça Titular deste juízo, denunciou o nacional George Anthony Devolder Santos -Nacionalidade Americana – Profissão: Professor – Estado Civil: Solteiro – Data de Nascimento: 22/07/1988 Idade: 25 – Filiação: Pai -Gercino Antonio dos Santos Junior Mãe – Fatima Alzira Caruso Horta Devolder [The Honorable Judge Ricardo Alberto Pereira, Judge of the 2nd Criminal Court of the City of Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro, DOES NOTICE that the Prosecutor General of this court, denounced the national George Anthony Devolder Santos – American Nationality – Profession: Teacher – Marital Status: Single – Date of Birth: 22/07/1988 Age: 25 – Parentage: Father -Gercino Antonio dos Santos Junior Mother – Fatima Alzira Caruso Horta Devolder ]
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 16–17.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 11, 28–30.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. xxi.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. xvii.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 21-22.
- ^ Chiusano 2023, p. 29, 31.
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