Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Worldwide man of thriller Rep. George Santos (R-NY) seems to have lastly resolved one in every of his many, many authorized complications.
In response to a authorized petition obtained by CNN, the flagrant fabulist has reached a take care of prosecutors in Brazil pertaining to an accusation that he purchased over $1,300 price of garments and footwear utilizing a stolen checkbook.
In accordance with Brazilian regulation, Santos will formally confess his guilt and pay restitution to the Rio de Janeiro clerk he defrauded in 2008. Brazil permits this type of reconciliation with out trial for nonviolent crimes with minimal sentences of underneath 4 years.
In response to case notes obtained by CNN, Santos initially admitted to police in 2010 that he stole the checkbook from his mother’s nurse. However the case went chilly for a decade after cops may not attain Santos; it was solely revived this yr when he emerged within the highlight as a U.S. congressman.
The confession straight contradicts claims Santos made in an interview with the New York Publish in December, during which he vehemently asserted his innocence of any crime within the U.S. or Brazil.
“I'm not a legal right here—not right here or in Brazil or any jurisdiction on the earth. Completely not. That did not occur,” Santos stated on the time.
Whereas this was clearly a lie, it didn’t cease Santos’ lawyer from justifying his request for the non-prosecutorial settlement by claiming that Santos has been “resocialized” and is now gainfully employed.
Past his claims concerning the Brazil case, Santos’ Jenga tower of falsehoods stretches the definition of the time period “resocialized” to its very limits.
At numerous factors for the reason that checkbook incident, it has been revealed that Santos fabricated almost his total resume, falsely claimed his mom survived 9/11 (then later died from 9/11), instructed donors he produced the notorious Broadway flop Spider-Man: Flip Off the Darkish, and stole from a charity for a disabled veteran’s dying service canine—amongst many different scandals, scams, and fabrications.
Whereas Santos is at the moment gainfully employed as a congressman, he is probably not for lengthy.
Lawmakers from each events have known as for his resignation, with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) famously calling him a “sick pet” to his face at Biden’s State of the Union tackle.
Santos is underneath investigation by the Republican-dominated Home Ethics Committee for numerous marketing campaign finance violations and a sexual misconduct allegation involving a former staffer. He's additionally being probed by county, state, and federal authorities over numerous different alleged lies.