Former Long Island congressman George Santos continues to hold plea deal talks involving criminal case, attorney says
Ex-Long Island Rep. George Santos is continuing to conduct plea deal talks after hiring two additional lawyers in his federal fraud and money laundering case, his lawyer said in court Tuesday.
“If there are agreements between us regarding a plea, I'll notify the court,” Santos attorney Joseph Murray told U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert on Tuesday.
Santos, 35, appeared before Seybert on Tuesday morning for a brief status conference with Murray and his new attorneys, Andrew Leopoldo Mancilla and Robert Mario Fantone Jr.
The judge agreed to a motion schedule proposed by the prosecution, which also handed over another 6,000 pages of documents to the defense as part of discovery.
Seybert set Santos' next court date for Aug. 13. He's scheduled to go on trial in September.
Santos' Tuesday appearance at the Central Islip courthouse was less chaotic than his past appearances. Gone were the protesters calling him a liar and dog killer and urging him to resign. Fewer reporters came to document the scene.
Santos has pleaded not guilty to a 23-count superseding indictment charging him with a variety of fraudulent schemes. Prosecutors have alleged Santos fraudulently received unemployment benefits authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic and lied on his congressional financial disclosure forms. Prosecutors also alleged he filed fraudulent fundraising reports to obtain financial support for his congressional campaign and stole thousands of dollars from his campaign contributors by charging their credit cards without authorization.
Santos was expelled from Congress on Dec. 1 after a damning House Ethics Committee report found “substantial evidence” that Santos engaged in “unlawful conduct” and knowingly deceived campaign donors “for his own personal financial profit.”
Santos called the report a “political smear” but said he wouldn’t run for reelection.
Soon after the political newbie won the election in November 2022 to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes parts of Nassau and Queens, The New York Times published a story detailing Santos' lies about his personal, professional and educational background. Santos later admitted lying but refused to resign, even after he was indicted.
Santos, clad in a navy coat and Prada shoes Tuesday, was chatty as he exited the 10th-floor courtroom and took an elevator to the ground floor, answering a variety of questions from a Newsday reporter.
“I'm not voting,” said Santos, when asked if he planned to cast a ballot for Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip or Democrat Tom Suozzi in the upcoming special election for Santos' former congressional seat. “I'm not interested. I don't vote for Democrats.”
Asked what he was doing for work since his expulsion from Congress, Santos demurred.
“Nothing I want to report,” he said, before acknowledging he missed his old job.
“Sure, it was fun,” Santos said of serving in Congress. “Of course I do. I worked really hard to get there.”
When asked about his new attorneys, Santos said, “I love them. I worked with them in the past.”
Asked in what capacity, Santos said, “None of your concern.”
Ex-Long Island Rep. George Santos is continuing to conduct plea deal talks after hiring two additional lawyers in his federal fraud and money laundering case, his lawyer said in court Tuesday.
“If there are agreements between us regarding a plea, I'll notify the court,” Santos attorney Joseph Murray told U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert on Tuesday.
Santos, 35, appeared before Seybert on Tuesday morning for a brief status conference with Murray and his new attorneys, Andrew Leopoldo Mancilla and Robert Mario Fantone Jr.
The judge agreed to a motion schedule proposed by the prosecution, which also handed over another 6,000 pages of documents to the defense as part of discovery.
Seybert set Santos' next court date for Aug. 13. He's scheduled to go on trial in September.
Santos' Tuesday appearance at the Central Islip courthouse was less chaotic than his past appearances. Gone were the protesters calling him a liar and dog killer and urging him to resign. Fewer reporters came to document the scene.
Santos has pleaded not guilty to a 23-count superseding indictment charging him with a variety of fraudulent schemes. Prosecutors have alleged Santos fraudulently received unemployment benefits authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic and lied on his congressional financial disclosure forms. Prosecutors also alleged he filed fraudulent fundraising reports to obtain financial support for his congressional campaign and stole thousands of dollars from his campaign contributors by charging their credit cards without authorization.
Santos was expelled from Congress on Dec. 1 after a damning House Ethics Committee report found “substantial evidence” that Santos engaged in “unlawful conduct” and knowingly deceived campaign donors “for his own personal financial profit.”
Santos called the report a “political smear” but said he wouldn’t run for reelection.
Soon after the political newbie won the election in November 2022 to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes parts of Nassau and Queens, The New York Times published a story detailing Santos' lies about his personal, professional and educational background. Santos later admitted lying but refused to resign, even after he was indicted.
Santos, clad in a navy coat and Prada shoes Tuesday, was chatty as he exited the 10th-floor courtroom and took an elevator to the ground floor, answering a variety of questions from a Newsday reporter.
“I'm not voting,” said Santos, when asked if he planned to cast a ballot for Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip or Democrat Tom Suozzi in the upcoming special election for Santos' former congressional seat. “I'm not interested. I don't vote for Democrats.”
Asked what he was doing for work since his expulsion from Congress, Santos demurred.
“Nothing I want to report,” he said, before acknowledging he missed his old job.
“Sure, it was fun,” Santos said of serving in Congress. “Of course I do. I worked really hard to get there.”
When asked about his new attorneys, Santos said, “I love them. I worked with them in the past.”
Asked in what capacity, Santos said, “None of your concern.”
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
'A spark for them to escalate the fighting' A standoff between officials has stalled progress, eroded community patience and escalated the price tag for taxpayers. Newsday investigative editor Paul LaRocco and NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie report.
'A spark for them to escalate the fighting' A standoff between officials has stalled progress, eroded community patience and escalated the price tag for taxpayers. Newsday investigative editor Paul LaRocco and NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie report.
