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President Donald Trump is commuting the sentence of former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., and said the disgraced lawmaker should be quickly released from prison.
“George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated,” Trump posted on Truth Social Friday evening. “Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!”
Trump called the 37-year-old Santos something of a “rogue,” but added that he was also “a Great Hero.” A senior White House official told NBC News that the president “heard from so many people, and in recent days he decided it was the right decision. It’s his call, and he made it.”
Santos was arrested in 2023 on federal charges related to wire fraud, money laundering and theft. He eventually pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a fine. He began serving his sentence in New Jersey this July.
Elected to Congress in 2022 after flipping a Democratic seat in Long Island, Santos’ political career was polarizing but short. The North Shore Leader, a small Long Island-based outlet, reported on significant holes in his resume and personal backstory before the election, but the story didn’t resonate widely until The New York Times uncovered more discrepancies after Santos was elected but before he took office.
A House Ethics Committee investigation later found that there was "substantial evidence" he misused campaign funds for personal reasons, including Botox, a subscriptions to OnlyFans and other luxury items. The House formally voted to remove Santos from office in December 2023.
Santos is “overjoyed” and “appreciative” to Trump for “his compassion in seeing the suffering Mr. Santos endured through the prosecution,” his lawyer told NBC News, adding that his client’s sentence was “draconian.”