Family members backed the $500K bond for Rep. George Santos

Rep. George Santos’ father and aunt guaranteed the $500,000 bond needed to keep the New York Republican out of jail pending his trial on federal charges, according to court papers unsealed Thursday.

The identities of the sureties had been a mystery since May, when Mr. Santos pleaded not guilty to a 13-count indictment.  

Court papers show that Mr. Santos’ father, Gercino Dos Santos, and his aunt, Elma Santos Preven, signed documents that would require them to pay up if the congressman violated the terms of his release.

Mr. Santos’ lawyer recently said the lawmaker would rather go to jail than reveal who bailed him out. He feared they would be subject to harassment or threats.

Media companies pressed the courts to unseal the names, and House Democrats said they wanted the identities to ensure compliance with House gift rules.

U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert in Central Islip, New York, on Tuesday ordered the names of the sureties to be revealed at midday Thursday. She said the order provided Mr. Santos time to make arrangements if the people who had posted his bond decided to withdraw.

Prosecutors accuse Mr. Santos, who previously admitted to fabricating swaths of his personal history, of using political donations for personal expenses; applying for COVID-19 unemployment relief despite making $120,000 per year at a Florida investment firm; and misstating income amounts on House disclosure forms.

Mr. Santos faces seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.

The charges are a significant development in Mr. Santos’ checkered congressional tenure.

The life story he created began to unravel shortly after his election win. Numerous reports revealed that the congressman had lied about his education, work history and even his Jewish heritage. Fellow lawmakers openly scoffed at his resume padding and distortions, including a claim he was once a star volleyball player in college.

The scandal made him an object of fascination with late-night television and online commentators, who remarked on his sweater-and-dress sneakers fashion and tense exchange with Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah at the State of the Union Address.

Many lawmakers called on Mr. Santos to resign. He rebuffed their calls and said he looks forward to clearing his name and seeking reelection next year.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said that a House lawmaker should resign if he or she is found to be guilty, citing the example of Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a Republican convicted of concealing information and making false statements to federal authorities.