Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is trying to delay sentencing on federal fraud costs so he can repay his fines by way of funds generated by his new podcast.
Santos’s sentencing is presently scheduled for Feb. 7, and his attorneys are looking for to delay till August. Prosecutors are disputing the request and asking the decide to maintain the February date in place.
In a submitting final week, Santos’s workforce famous he’s required to pay a forfeiture cash judgment 30 days previous to sentencing. The full is greater than $205,000. Santos additionally needed to pay almost $375,000 in restitution.
Since Santos left Congress after being voted out in December 2023, he’s appeared to generate profits utilizing his on-line presence by way of Cameo movies, and he launched a podcast final month.
“Mr. Santos now has a viable path to making meaningful progress in satisfying his obligations, requiring only additional time for the quarterly compensation structure to generate sufficient funds,” his attorneys stated, calling the podcast a “promising revenue stream.”
Santos initially introduced the launch of his podcast, “Pants on Fire with George Santos,” shortly after pleading responsible. The beginning of the podcast was delayed because of “technical and logistical impediments.” It formally launched Dec. 15.
Of their response, prosecutors stated Tuesday that Santos has had ample time for the reason that sentencing date was set roughly 5 months in the past.
They disputed Santos’s declare that his podcast may generate sufficient cash to fulfill the tremendous.
“Santos’s claims are facially speculative and, in any event, entirely insufficient to warrant such a lengthy adjournment,” they argued. “His request for delay should be denied, and sentencing should proceed as scheduled.”
Prosecutors argued the court docket ought to deny Santos’s request for a number of causes, together with that it may create a “perverse incentive structure” that rewards defendants who’ve notoriety.
“Allowing Santos to stave off sentencing specifically to monetize his infamy would send a message to the public that crime pays,” they argued.
Santos pleaded responsible in August to 2 felonies, avoiding a felony trial.
Though Santos initially confronted 23 felony counts, his lesser plea means he’s nonetheless more likely to face jail time.
Sentencing would fully bookend Santos’s dramatic rise and fall.
He flipped a New York Home district from blue to crimson in 2022 and was highlighted as the primary overtly homosexual Republican who was not an incumbent to win a Home seat.
He was expelled from the decrease chamber after a scathing Home Ethics Committee report discovered he deceived marketing campaign donors, stole from marketing campaign funds and used it for private use.
