The sentencing of the scandal-ridden ex-Congressman George Santos, in his New York federal fraud trial, has been postponed by two months.
The Long Island federal judge agreed to the delay on Wednesday, moving the sentencing date from its initial schedule of February 7 to April 25. This decision follows Santos' guilty plea last year to federal fraud charges.
As reported by ABC News, the judge referred to the delay as a "one-time courtesy," granting Santos' request for a postponement, albeit not as lengthy as the former New York representative had hoped for. Santos had sought an August sentencing to allow him time to generate income from his podcast, which he intended to use to meet his restitution and forfeiture obligations.
In August, Santos admitted to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of his plea agreement, he committed to paying approximately $600,000 in forfeiture and restitution. Santos requested an additional six months to raise the funds, asking the court to trust that his weekly podcast, "Pants on Fire with George Santos," would eventually bring in enough revenue to fulfill his obligations. "Mr. Santos now has a viable path to making meaningful progress on satisfying his obligations," his lawyers asserted in a motion, referring to the launch of his new podcast.
However, prosecutors opposed the delay, arguing that "the numerous victims of Santos's criminal schemes, and the community writ large have a strong collective interest in the expeditious resolution of this case." They questioned Santos' inability to pay, pointing out that he had generated significant revenue through other means in the past year. These included $400,000 from his participation in a documentary and over $400,000 from Cameo, as per the government's filing.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Santos is required to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and more than $200,000 in forfeiture. He also faces a sentence of 75-87 months, which includes a mandatory minimum two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of upholding integrity and accountability in public office, a cornerstone of conservative values.
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