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full screen Impeached Congressman George Santos on his way to the courtroom in New York. Photo: Stefan Jeremiah/AP/TT
Former US Congressman George Santos has pleaded guilty to two felony counts. Santos, who represented New York state in the U.S. House of Representatives, pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft at a pretrial hearing in Central Islip, Long Island.
A trial against him was scheduled for the beginning of September, which he will now probably avoid.
Santos will be sentenced early next year, he faces up to six years in prison.
Controversial Republican Santos was expelled from the US House of Representatives last December after an audit found “overwhelming evidence” of lies and financial manipulation.
Among other things, he received unemployment benefits despite having worked, and he also put campaign contributions in his own pocket.
It was the first time in 20 years, and only the sixth time in American history, that a member of the House of Representatives was thrown out of the chamber.