Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against embattled Republican New York Rep. George Santos, CNN reported Tuesday.
Santos is scheduled to appear at federal court in New York’s eastern district where the charges have reportedly been filed, according to CNN. While the exact nature of the charges are unknown, the FBI and the Justice Department have investigated Santos’ false statements and alleged campaign finance violations.
Santos has been under an ongoing investigation by a House Ethics subcommittee over accusations that he violated campaign finance laws. Ethics experts and reporters have alleged that his campaign finance filings were structured to avoid disclosing certain purchases.
BREAKING — CNN Exclusive: Rep. George Santos charged by Justice Department in federal probe
via @MarkMorales51 & @evanperez https://t.co/5HdPtTg53X
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) May 9, 2023
The New York congressman also came under fire for admittedly lying about major details of his life. Santos falsely said he attended Baruch College and New York University and about being a former employee at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. He also lied about having family members who survived the Holocaust and fabricated his Jewish ancestry. (RELATED: Rep. George Santos Tells Piers Morgan He Has Been ‘A Terrible Liar’)
Several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called on the embattled representative to resign over the slew of allegations and lies. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told CNN Tuesday that he will review the charges before deciding if Santos is to be removed from Congress.
The representative has further been accused of being behind a credit card scheme and stealing $3,000 from a veteran’s charity fund for his ill dog, which Santos has denied.
The Office of Congressional Ethics investigators cleared Santos of sexual harassment allegations in a May 4 decision.