New George Santos disclosure changes source of $500,000 in campaign loans

Rep. George Santos (R-Nassau/Queens) filed new campaign disclosure reports Tuesday changing the source of a $500,000 loan he previously reported as originating from his "personal funds."

In filings immediately after the election, Santos checked a box on a Federal Election Commission form attesting that a $500,000 loan to his campaign stemmed from "Personal Funds of the Candidate." 

In a new filing dated Tuesday, Santos left that box unchecked.

Santos is under federal, state, and local investigations after revelations that he had fabricated stories about his resume, ethnic history and sources of income.

Joe Murray, his campaign lawyer, told Newsday: "Due to the FEC complaints it would be inappropriate to comment on an open investigation."

Naysa Woomer, a spokeswoman for his Congressional office, did not respond to a request for comment.

In his new filing, Santos lists a balance of $130,000 in outstanding loans that came from personal funds, and $500,000 that was not from personal funds.

In a filing on Dec. 8, he listed having a $630,000 outstanding balance on loans from personal funds.

In both filings he attested to having paid off $31,250 in additional campaign loans, $25,050 of which came from personal funds.

Earlier this month, a watchdog group filed a complaint with the FEC Commission urging it to open an investigation into questions about Santos’ campaign fundraising, loans and expenditures.

The complaint, by the Campaign Legal Center, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit, alleges Santos hid the true sources of funds he lent his campaign, misrepresented the campaign’s spending and used its funds for personal expenses.

The complaint alleges that Santos acted as a straw donor for unknown others for $705,000 in loans he made to his campaign finance committees, despite his statements that he drew it from his salary and dividends from his firm Devolder LLC.

“The available information indicates that Santos and other unknown persons engaged in a scheme to provide illegal contributions to Santos’ campaign,” the complaint said.

“These unknown persons provided money to Santos disguised as income from his wholly owned entity Devolder LLC,” it said.

Santos was elected in November to represent the Third Congressional District, which covers parts of Nassau County and Queens.

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.