OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
12:55 PM – Friday, July 25, 2025
Former New York GOP Congressman George Santos is scheduled to begin serving his prison sentence of over seven years on Friday, following his guilty plea to a number of federal charges, including wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.
The length of his sentence will be 87 months, which is equivalent to 7 years and 3 months.
The New York Republican did not exit the spotlight quietly.
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In the days leading up to his incarceration, Santos remained active online, appearing on a podcast and interacting with followers on X Spaces. He also shared a series of farewell messages on the platform. Up until Friday morning, Santos was still creating personalized videos for his supporters on Cameo—charging at least $300 per message, according to the site.
“Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. 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. To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it. To my critics: Thanks for the free press. I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit. Forever fabulously yours, George,” he posted on X.
During his 90-minute live broadcast on X Spaces, Santos addressed speculation about his legal future, noting that many have inquired whether he might receive a presidential pardon or commutation that could reduce his 87-month prison sentence.
“The answer to that is, I don’t know. You’re asking the wrong person,” he responded on Thursday. “The only person that can answer that question is, you know, whoever the president of the United States is — in this case, President Donald Trump.”
Santos’ career became scandal-ridden shortly after he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2022, and some conservative critics of him had already expressed throughout his tenure that they weren’t keen on the fact that he was an openly gay, flamboyant politician representing their party. On the other hand, supporters of Santos have voiced that they appreciated how he presented himself as a political outsider — appealing to voters who had voiced that they were tired of establishment politics.
Nevertheless, after diving deep into his documented past, falsified significant portions of his résumé eventually began to surface in the media, unraveling the personal narrative he had presented to voters and donors during his campaign.
The House Ethics Committee also later released a damning report concluding that Santos had “likely committed numerous federal offenses.” Shortly after, the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted him on 23 criminal counts, including embezzlement of campaign funds, fraudulent collection of unemployment benefits, and falsification of financial disclosures submitted to the House of Representatives.
In the 2022 midterm elections, Santos was one of four Republicans who succeeded in flipping Democrat-held congressional seats in New York—a pivotal gain for the GOP. However, following his indictment and the release of the damning House Ethics Committee report, it was also his fellow New York Republicans who became the driving force behind his expulsion from Congress.
On December 1, 2023, the House voted 311–114 to remove Santos, making him only the sixth individual in U.S. history to be expelled from the chamber. After pleading guilty, Santos was sentenced in April to 87 months in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and more than $200,000 in forfeiture.
In a series of appearances this week, Santos repeatedly expressed remorse for his misconduct.
“I think we can all attest that I’ve made a string of s— choices in my life, and for that, I’m sorry to those I’ve disappointed, to those I’ve let down, to those that I have caused irreparable damage. I’m sorry. I mean it. I’m not— I’m not placating. This isn’t for show,” Santos said on Spaces.
“It’s just, life sucks sometimes and life-ing is hard,” he added.
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