Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM by way of Getty
Main parts of an incoming member of Congress’ résumé don't stand as much as scrutiny—together with his profession and academic credentials, a New York Occasions investigation has discovered. George Santos, a Republican who as soon as bragged about paying authorized payments for Jan. 6 rioters, received election in a once-blue district within the New York suburbs.
The Each day Beast reported throughout the marketing campaign that Santos’ most up-to-date employer was accused by federal regulators of being a Ponzi scheme. Now the Occasions’ probe has discovered much more questionable episodes in his historical past:
No Pulse
In a November interview, Santos claimed his firm had 4 staff who have been killed within the 2016 Pulse nightclub bloodbath, however the Occasions cross-checked all of the victims’ names towards the corporations that Santos mentions in his biography and located no overlap.
Diploma discrepancy
Santos claims to be a 2010 graduate of Baruch Faculty, however the faculty couldn't discover any report of him. The Nationwide Republican Congressional Committee’s bio of him contains enrollment at New York College, which might additionally not discover any indication he took courses there.
Wall Avenue whodunit
The marketing campaign biography says Santos’ work historical past contains stints at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs however these corporations advised the Occasions “that they had no report of his ever working there,” the newspaper reported.
Phantom pet venture
Santos says he based a charity known as Buddies of Pets United in 2013, however the IRS and the lawyer generals of New York and New Jersey might discover no report of it being registered as a tax-exempt group. Moreover, a New Jersey animal group that co-hosted a $50-a-ticket fundraiser with Santos in 2017 mentioned it by no means acquired any of the proceeds.
Un-real property?
The congressman-elect has mentioned that his household has a real-estate portfolio, claiming in February that they personal 13 properties. However the Occasions says the one actual property he listed on monetary disclosure types was an condominium in Rio de Janeiro—and no data of different property might be discovered.
Firm man
Santos claimed on monetary disclosures that he earned a $750,000 wage and tens of millions in dividends as an proprietor of the Devolder Group, however the newspaper mentioned it couldn't find any belongings for the Florida-registered firm.
Paper path
The Occasions was capable of finding data of a 2010 cost in Santos’ native Brazil for stealing a checkbook and utilizing the checks to purchase footwear, and two New York Metropolis eviction proceedings towards him in 2015 and 2017.
The Occasions mentioned Santos didn't present any documentation to refute its reporting. His lawyer mentioned solely that it was “no shock that Congressman-elect Santos has enemies at The New York Occasions who're making an attempt to smear his good identify with these defamatory allegations.”