U.S. Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., leaves a House GOP conference meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 25, 2023. Santos filed paperwork Tuesday, March 14, 2023, indicating his intent to run for reelection, even as he faces calls to resign amid ongoing criminal and ethics investigations into lies he told while running for office. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
By Michael Balsamo, Farnoush Amiri and Jake Offenhartz
U.S. Rep. George Santos, who faced outrage and mockery over a litany of fabrications about his heritage, education and professional pedigree, has been charged with federal criminal offenses, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The charges against Santos, filed in the Eastern District of New York, remain under seal.
The people could not discuss specific details of the case and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.
Reached on Tuesday, Santos said, “This is news to me.”
“You’re the first to call me about this,” he said in a brief phone interview.
The New York Republican has admitted to lying about having Jewish ancestry, a Wall Street background, college degrees and a history as a star volleyball player. Serious questions about his finances also surfaced — including the source of what he claimed was a quickly amassed fortune despite recent financial problems, including evictions and owing thousands of dollars in back rent.
Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak in New York and Lindsay Whitehurst in Washington contributed to this report.
Israeli forces are raiding Gaza’s largest hospital, where hundreds of patients, including newborns, have been stranded with dwindling supplies and no electricity.
Nikki Haley's campaign is investing heavily in Iowa and New Hampshire as the presidential hopeful will be appearing in $10 million worth of TV, radio, and digital ads starting in December.
Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, testified Monday in the trial of the man accused of breaking into his home and attacking him in October last year.
Thousands of people are expected in Washington, DC Tuesday for a demonstration to support Israel, condemn anti-Semitism, and call for the release of the roughly 240 hostages held by Hamas.