Ex-congressman George Santos sentenced to seven years in prison

Former Republican congressman George Santos has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to the federal charges in New York court last August.

Prosecutors had asked for 87 months - over seven years - in prison, while Santos's attorneys had requested he serve two years, the minimum sentence for aggravated identity theft.

The sentencing marks the final step in the downfall of the novice New York politician, who was expelled from Congress after the fraud case alleged that he lied about his background and misused campaign funds to finance his lifestyle.

Santos reportedly apologised for his actions while crying in court on Friday, saying: "I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead."

The judge overseeing the case appeared unconvinced. "You got elected with your words, most of which were lies," she said.

Santos will report to prison on 25 July.

The federal government alleged Santos laundered campaign funds to pay for his personal expenses, illegally claimed unemployment benefits while he was employed and lied to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Prosecutors said he charged more than $44,000 (£32,000) to his campaign over a period of months using credit cards belonging to contributors who were unaware they were being defrauded.

In court last year, Santos admitted to theft and applying for unemployment benefits that he was not entitled to receive. He has also acknowledged making false statements and omissions on financial statements submitted to the House Ethics Committee and the FEC.

The former lawmaker has been ordered to pay at least $374,000 (£280,000) in restitution.

He has been attempting to raise money on Cameo, a platform where people can purchase personalized videos from celebrities.

Santos's downfall began after the New York Times in 2022 published an investigation revealing the freshman congressman had lied about his CV, including having a university degree and working for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

From there, the lies continued to pile up, including allegations that he stole money from a fundraiser for a dying dog and that he lied about his mother surviving the 11 September terrorist attacks. Shortly after, local and federal officials began to investigate.

He was eventually charged with 23 federal felony crimes, and in 2023, he became the first member of Congress to be expelled in more than 20 years, only the sixth in history.

A report from the House ethics panel accused him of misusing campaign funds for personal benefits, including Botox and subscriptions on the OnlyFans website.

Santos defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2022, flipping the district that encompasses parts of New York's Long Island and Queens, where he grew up.

Santos, an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has said that he would not ask the president for a pardon.

"If the president thinks I'm worthy of any level of clemency that is bestowed upon him, he can go ahead and do it, but for me to seek a pardon is to deny accountability and responsibility," Santos told the New York Times.

Yet he appeared to contradict himself in an episode of his podcast, when his guest, blogger Perez Hilton asked him if he would request a pardon if he were sentenced to years in prison.

"You bet your sweet ass I would," he told the TV personality.