George Santos, the Republican who received a congressional seat by fabricating particulars of his life story, then went to jail for fraud, was given clemency by President Donald Trump on Friday.
“George Santos was considerably of a ‘rogue,’ however there are a lot of rogues all through our Nation that aren’t pressured to serve seven years in jail,” Trump wrote on social media. “Good luck George, have an incredible life!” Trump concluded.
Here’s a timeline of Santos’ extraordinary rise and fall.
Nov. 8, 2022: Santos defeats Democrat Robert Zimmerman within the first recognized congressional election that includes two overtly homosexual candidates. The district features a tiny a part of New York Metropolis and a swath of suburbs on Lengthy Island.
Dec. 19, 2022: The New York Occasions publishes a narrative questioning whether or not Santos fictionalized his resume.
Dec. 26, 2022: Santos admits fabricating some particulars of his biography, together with that he had a level from Baruch School and had labored for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Regardless of calling himself “a proud American Jew” ready paper, he insists he “by no means claimed to be Jewish” however fairly “Jew-ish.”
Dec. 28, 2022: Nassau County prosecutors say they’ve launched an investigation into Santos.
January 2023: Santos is sworn into workplace. Questions floor about how he financed his marketing campaign after filings provide contradictory accounts.
Jan. 31, 2023: Santos steps down from his congressional committees however says he received’t resign.
February 2023: Revelations floor that Santos had been charged with stealing puppies in Pennsylvania in 2017 by utilizing dangerous checks. The case was dismissed after Santos mentioned the checks got here from a checkbook that had been stolen from him.
March 2, 2023: The Home Ethics Committee declares an investigation into Santos.
Could 10, 2023: Santos is indicted and pleads not responsible to federal prices that he stole from donors and his marketing campaign, collected unemployment advantages he didn’t deserve and lied to Congress about his wealth.
Oct. 10, 2023: A brand new indictment accuses Santos of stealing donors’ IDs and making unauthorized prices to their bank cards. Santos pleads not responsible to the revised prices later that month.
Nov. 16, 2023: The Home Ethics Committee says in a scathing report on Santos that it amassed “overwhelming proof” of lawbreaking, concluding flatly that he “can’t be trusted.”
Dec. 1, 2023: Santos is expelled by the Home on a vote of 311-114, simply clearing the two-thirds majority required.
December 2023: Not lengthy after being expelled from the Home, Santos is discovered to offer the general public customized video messages for as much as $200 on Cameo.
February 2024: Santos sues late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, alleging Kimmel deceived him into making Cameo movies that had been used to ridicule Santos on the present.
April 23, 2024: Santos drops his longshot unbiased bid to return to Congress, a month after saying his candidacy. His marketing campaign committee reported elevating no cash in March 2024.
Aug. 19, 2024: Weeks earlier than the case was to go to trial, Santos pleads responsible to wire fraud and aggravated id theft, blaming his ambition for clouding his judgment and saying he was “flooded with deep remorse.” The identical day, a decide dismisses Santos’ lawsuit towards Kimmel, saying the host’s use of the Cameo movies for criticism and commentary was a good use.
April 25, 2025: Santos is sentenced in federal court docket to greater than seven years in jail.
July 25, 2025: Santos stories to the Federal Correctional Establishment in Fairton, in southern New Jersey.
Oct. 17, 2025: President Donald Trump commutes Santos’ sentence.
