Former U.S. Rep. George Santos is set to surrender to authorities Friday afternoon, July 25, to begin serving his more than seven-year sentence for fraud. As Straight Arrow News reported, in April, Santos was sentenced for deceiving donors and stealing people’s identities in a bid to fund his congressional campaign.
Santos pleaded guilty in 2024 to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The deadline
The New York Republican must report to federal prison before 2 p.m. Currently, it has not been disclosed where he’ll serve his sentence, though a federal judge recommended he be housed in a facility in the Northeast.
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One last interview
“Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” Santos wrote in a social media post before his scheduled arrival to serve his sentence. “From the halls of Congress to the Chaos of cable news, what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest?! I tried… most days,” he wrote on X.
“To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it. To my critics: Thanks for the press.” He added, “I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit. Forever fabulously yours, George.”
Loyalty to Trump remains
Santos told Politico that he doesn’t expect any clemency from President Donald Trump, but remains a supporter of the president.
“I’ll not waver in my support for him,” said Santos on a phone call with Politico.
As for a pardon or commutation from the commander-in-chief, Santos isn’t holding out hope for that.
“I don’t think he can,” said Santos. “He’s in a position where he needs to put the country ahead of one man, and that’s just a fact. He would lose support in the House from Republicans who have already capitulated.”
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on whether there’s any clemency request from Santos.
‘My Way’ is his ‘song of the moment’
In the lead-up to his reporting to prison, Santos has posted Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” He tells Politico it’s his “song of the moment.” He posted a clip on X of a specific verse that goes: “And now, the end is near. And so I face the final curtain.”
Santos also said he wants credit for insulting nicknames he came up with for political adversaries, including “Senile Joe Biden” and “Temu Obama,” which he used to refer to Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries. He’s also touted a nickname for New York Republican Nicole Malliotakis, calling her “Mallio Stock Tips,” in reference to her trading stocks in 2023 while addressing the banking crisis. She was never found guilty of any wrongdoing.
Santos said it’s all in a bid to make his voice heard before he’s locked up.
“I’m not allowed technology at all, and I’ve been notified that I will not be allowed to do interviews either,” Santos told Politico. “They’re shutting me up essentially.”
“I guess I put it all out there,” Santos said. “It’s essentially: sorry. To keep it simple, I should have done better, not for me, but everyone else as well. Sorry to everyone.”
U.S. Attorney John J. Durham, who prosecuted the case, said the former representative’s sentence was “Judgment day” for Santos and justice for his victims.
“This prosecution speaks to the truth that my office is committed to aggressively rooting out public corruption,” said Durham. Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly asserted that Santos “traded in his integrity for designer clothes and a luxury lifestyle.”
