Topline
Embattled Rep. George Santos’ (R-N.Y.) former fundraiser, Sam Miele, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud Tuesday in a plea deal with federal prosecutors, making him the second former Santos staffer to plead guilty, despite Santos claiming innocence in his own federal case.
Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) at the Capitol on Friday, November 3, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, … [+]
Key Facts
Miele, 27, was charged in August with aggravated identity theft and four counts of wire fraud in Long Island, New York, federal court.
Prosecutors accused Miele of impersonating a congressional staffer who multiple outlets identified as an aide to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) by using his name and title in emails soliciting campaign donations from contributors.
Miele’s sentencing is scheduled for April.
Key Background
Santos rose to infamy shortly after he was elected to Congress last year when a wave of reports accused him of fabricating large portions of his personal and professional background. He pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, including money laundering, fraud and identity theft. Prosecutors allege he orchestrated a wide-ranging scheme to solicit campaign donations under false pretenses and use the money for personal expenses, such as paying off his credit card and buying luxury items. The charges also accuse him of making false statements on his required financial disclosure forms and filing for unemployment benefits when he was earning $120,000 a year. Santos’ former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government in October, confessing that she and Santos falsely reported he made a $500,000 loan to his campaign in financial disclosure forms.
What To Watch For
The House Ethics Committee is expected to release a report on its own investigation into Santos’ conduct sometime this week, and could recommend his removal from Congress. Previous efforts to eject him failed to net votes from two-thirds of members they needed to succeed, with some who voted against it citing the lack of a formal criminal conviction against Santos. Some of those lawmakers have indicated they would flip their votes if the ethics committee found Santos broke the law.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/11/14/george-santos-aide-pleads-guilty-to-impersonating-mccarthy-staffer/