US President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of George Santos, a former Republican congressman serving seven years in prison for fraud and identify theft. In a post on social media, Trump said Santos has been horribly mistreated, adding: Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!
The former lawmaker was only the sixth in US history to be expelled from Congress, after a damning ethics report in 2023. Santos, who admitted to stealing the identities of 11 people - including from his own family members, was serving his sentence at a minimum-security jail in New Jersey. He was released on Friday night, US media report.
God bless President Donald J Trump, said one of Santos's lawyers, Joseph Murray, following Trump's announcement. In April when Santos was sentenced a judge told him: You got elected with your words, most of which were lies.
He reportedly cried in court and begged for forgiveness, saying: I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.
Prosecutors argued that the novice politician had lied about his background and misused campaign funds to finance his lifestyle. In his post, Trump justified the move by criticising a Democratic lawmaker, Senator Richard Blumenthal, whom he accused of fabricating his US military service.
This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN! Trump wrote.
Trump has previously called for an investigation into Blumenthal over the claim. The Democrat has acknowledged that he misspoke on numerous occasions about his time in the military, but has said the mishaps were more than a decade old.
Santos's downfall began in 2022, after the New York Times published an investigation revealing the freshman congressman had lied about his CV, including having a university degree and working for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. He faced charges for stealing money from a fundraiser for a dying dog and lying about his mother surviving the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was eventually charged with 23 federal felony crimes, becoming the first expelled member of Congress in over 20 years.
Earlier this week, Santos published an open letter to Trump in the South Shore Press newspaper, asking for a pardon. In the letter, he expressed his desire to return to his family and community. Santos began serving his sentence in July.
The former lawmaker was only the sixth in US history to be expelled from Congress, after a damning ethics report in 2023. Santos, who admitted to stealing the identities of 11 people - including from his own family members, was serving his sentence at a minimum-security jail in New Jersey. He was released on Friday night, US media report.
God bless President Donald J Trump, said one of Santos's lawyers, Joseph Murray, following Trump's announcement. In April when Santos was sentenced a judge told him: You got elected with your words, most of which were lies.
He reportedly cried in court and begged for forgiveness, saying: I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.
Prosecutors argued that the novice politician had lied about his background and misused campaign funds to finance his lifestyle. In his post, Trump justified the move by criticising a Democratic lawmaker, Senator Richard Blumenthal, whom he accused of fabricating his US military service.
This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN! Trump wrote.
Trump has previously called for an investigation into Blumenthal over the claim. The Democrat has acknowledged that he misspoke on numerous occasions about his time in the military, but has said the mishaps were more than a decade old.
Santos's downfall began in 2022, after the New York Times published an investigation revealing the freshman congressman had lied about his CV, including having a university degree and working for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. He faced charges for stealing money from a fundraiser for a dying dog and lying about his mother surviving the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was eventually charged with 23 federal felony crimes, becoming the first expelled member of Congress in over 20 years.
Earlier this week, Santos published an open letter to Trump in the South Shore Press newspaper, asking for a pardon. In the letter, he expressed his desire to return to his family and community. Santos began serving his sentence in July.
