42m in the past / 7:59 PM EDT
FBI prior to now talked to Navy veteran who accused Santos in crowdfunding scheme
In January, Navy veteran Richard Osthoff accused Santos of refusing handy over 1000’s of bucks raised in a 2016 on-line marketing campaign to fund surgical procedure for his canine.
Osthoff mentioned a charity team related to Santos created a GoFundMe web page for his canine however by no means supplied him with the cash. Osthoff mentioned he believes get entry to to the $3,000 donation pot, which he mentioned Santos withheld from him, would have stored his canine’s lifestyles.
“I was so livid that I realized that this guy is now a serving congressman. He doesn’t deserve that job. It’s horrendous that he could lie and steal and cheat his way through life,” Osthoff mentioned.
The incident used to be now not a part of the costs unveiled Wednesday. The FBI spoke to Osthoff previous this 12 months.
41m in the past / 7:59 PM EDT
McCarthy says he may not toughen Santos’ re-election bid
He’s now not hard he renounce, however House Speaker Kevin McCarthy mentioned lately he isn’t supporting Santos’ bid for re-election.
“No, I’m not gonna support Santos,” McCarthy, R-Calif., advised journalists on the Capitol. “I think he’s got some other things to focus on in this life than running for stuff.”
After his arraignment lately, Santos mentioned at a news convention that he is nonetheless operating for re-election.
McCarthy hasn’t referred to as on Santos to renounce, announcing he needs him to have his day in courtroom. “He will go through his time in trial and let’s find out how the outcome is,” he mentioned previous lately.
2h in the past / 6:41 PM EDT
Nassau County prosecutor suggests Santos may just face extra fees
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, whose place of work assisted in the federal investigation, told reporters lately that Santos’ indictment used to be an “important first step in holding him accountable.”
Asked whether or not she anticipated extra fees to be filed, Donnelly smiled and mentioned, “It is very much an ongoing investigation.”
Donnelly mentioned after she introduced her investigation in December that her “federal partners” approached her and advised her “we can make a stronger investigation together” and that she agreed.
“It was a very well-run investigation,” she mentioned. “They uncovered more inconsistencies than we ever thought possible.”
2h in the past / 6:41 PM EDT
Santos makes fundraising pitch after courtroom look
Hours after his arraignment, Santos made a pitch for 2024 marketing campaign donations on Twitter.
In his post, Santos advised donors to give a contribution so he may just proceed “fighting for freedom.” He integrated a link to WinRed, a fundraising website that goals to “help GOP candidates and committees win across the U.S.” The web page signifies any donation will toughen Santos’ re-election bid.
The federal fees come with a scheme in which Santos allegedly used political contributions for personal use.
3h in the past / 5:16 PM EDT
Santos is on his as far back as D.C.
Santos is now en path to Washington by means of automobile, two resources aware of the congressman’s plans showed to NBC News. It’s unclear whether or not he’ll move to the Capitol as soon as he arrives.
The House is anticipated to carry a procedural vote this night on a GOP-backed border safety invoice. The House may be scheduled to take the reputable picture for the 118th Congress this night.
At a news convention lately after his arraignment, Santos mentioned he deliberate to go back to the Capitol to vote on ultimate passage of the border invoice the next day.
5h in the past / 4:08 PM EDT
Prior scandals: Santos accused in credit card skimming scheme
A convicted Brazilian guy accused Santos of being the architect of a credit card skimming scheme in 2017, allegations that Santos rejected in March.
“I’m innocent. I never did anything of criminal activity and I’m no mastermind of anything,” Santos advised journalists on the time when requested a few sworn affidavit from Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha. “The story’s false.”
In the March affidavit, whose recipients reportedly integrated the FBI and Secret Service, Trelha claimed Santos used to be his spouse and the one who taught him the way to clone ATM and credit playing cards and the way to use skimming gadgets.
The credit card scheme isn’t discussed in the costs towards Santos launched lately.
5h in the past / 3:38 PM EDT
Santos says he nonetheless plans to run once more, will go back to House the next day
Santos advised journalists that he nonetheless plans to run for re-election subsequent 12 months in spite of the costs he faces.
He additionally mentioned he’ll go back to Washington for a deliberate vote on a GOP-sponsored border invoice the next day.
He then left the courthouse.
5h in the past / 3:38 PM EDT
Santos says fee associated with Covid unemployment price range is ‘faulty’
Asked concerning the allegation that he carried out for unemployment advantages all the way through the Covid pandemic whilst he used to be receiving a wage of $120,000, Santos mentioned it’s “inaccurate information.”
He added, “I don’t know where the government’s getting their information.”
Santos is charged with fraudulently making use of for and receiving virtually $25,000 in Covid unemployment advantages from the U.S. Treasury from June 2020 to April 2021, in spite of being hired.