Prosecutors have given Rep. George Santos' defense attorney more than 80,000 pages of evidence in fraud, money laundering case, feds say

Federal prosecutors have turned over more than 80,000 pages of evidence to the defense attorney for Rep. George Santos, who was indicted in May on wire fraud and money laundering charges, a prosecutor said Friday as Santos made a brief appearance in the Central Islip courthouse. 

It was Santos' first time back in court after he pleaded not guilty to a 13-count indictment, alleging he orchestrated a series of schemes while running for Congress, including ripping off political donors, fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits authorized under COVID-19 and lying on his congressional financial disclosure forms.

The freshman congressman, who remains free on a $500,000 unsecured bond, pleaded not guilty to seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives as part of the alleged schemes that prosecutors said began in 2020.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Harris told the judge during a noon status conference that lasted fewer than five minutes that prosecutors had provided Santos' lawyer with the documents earlier this week as part of the discovery process.

Harris said the government has "more to send over" to the defense. He did not describe the contents of the documents. 

Santos' attorney, Joseph Murray, said the co-signers of his client's bond — his father and aunt — are still guaranteeing Santos' bond. 

"They have not withdrawn," said Murray, who had fought unsuccessfully to keep their names secret. 

Neither Murray nor the prosecutor divulged whether they've discussed a possible plea agreement, but Murray told the judge: "I have a wonderful working relationship with Mr. Harris and his team." 

The defense attorney asked for an earlier date when the court proposed holding the next status conference in mid-September, saying that Sept. 14 is the first day that Congress reconvenes after its August recess and his client needs to be there to perform "his constitutional duties."

Santos (R-Nassau/Queens), in a gray blazer, appeared relaxed as he entered the courtroom Friday — about five minutes before the noon status conference began. 

"Hi, how are you?" Santos was heard saying to Harris, shaking the prosecutor's hand. 

U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert set a date of Sept. 7 for Santos to return to court.

As he left the courtroom and got into an elevator, Santos was accompanied by members of the U.S. Marshals Service, who provide courthouse security. He didn't speak to reporters. 

Santos came into Congress this year amid scandal after The New York Times reported he had lied or embellished much of his personal and professional background. 

Santos admitted some mistruths but has resisted calls to resign. Santos has said he's running for reelection. 

About 15 people, including those from the nonpartisan group Concerned Citizens of NY-03, which formed after Santos became engulfed in scandal over his myriad fabrications, demonstrated outside the courthouse with signs that read "fraud be gone" and "shame." 

Jody Kass Finkel, a retired lobbyist from Great Neck who founded the group, said she'd be "OK with" Santos receiving a plea deal if it stipulated his "immediate resignation" from Congress. 

"He's dragging all of us through the sewer with him," said Finkel.

Santos’ latest court appearance followed a legal battle between the news media and Santos’ attorney on whether the bond guarantors’ identities should be made public. 

Last week, Seybert ordered the identities revealed. The documents identified the co-signers as Gercino dos Santos, the defendant's father, and Elma Preven, his aunt, ending a more than monthlong mystery into who guaranteed the Republican lawmaker's unsecured bond.

News organizations, including Newsday, asked the judge to unseal the identities, citing the right of public access to court proceedings. The news media, as well as the House Committee on Ethics, had also questioned whether the co-signers were lobbyists or others possibly seeking to improperly influence the congressman.

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.