Disgraced former New York Congressman George Santos requested a six-month delay in his sentencing, pushing it from February 7th to August. His legal team cited the need for additional time to accumulate funds to cover the nearly $600,000 in restitution and forfeiture he owes as a result of his guilty plea to federal fraud, campaign finance, and embezzlement charges. This plea, entered in August, initially flagged concerns about Santos’ ability to pay over $200,000 of the restitution.
The defense argues that the launch of Santos’ new podcast, “Pants on Fire with George Santos,” provides a viable path towards fulfilling his financial obligations. They contend that this delay will allow him to make meaningful progress. However, federal prosecutors have yet to respond to the request, though the defense mentioned their opposition to a delay. Santos faces a potential sentence of 75 to 87 months, including a mandatory two-year term for aggravated identity theft. The restitution is due 30 days prior to sentencing, and failure to pay could result in further penalties.
Santos served as the representative for New York’s 3rd Congressional District (parts of Queens and Nassau counties) from January 2023 until his expulsion from Congress on December 1, 2023. This report includes contributions from ABC News.