Former U.S. Representative George Santos officially began serving his seven-year prison sentence on Friday, July 25, 2025, at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey. Santos, a New York Republican whose political career was marked by scandal and deception, entered the minimum-security camp at the all-male facility to start his 87-month sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in the summer of 2024.
The Bureau of Prisons confirmed Santos's custody, though the ex-lawmaker did not speak to reporters upon arrival. In the days leading up to his incarceration, Santos was notably vocal on social media and various podcast appearances, including an emotional hour-and-a-half conversation on X (formerly Twitter) where he bid farewell to supporters and reflected on his tumultuous political journey.
On Thursday night, July 24, Santos posted a poignant message on X: “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days.” He thanked his supporters and critics alike, acknowledging the wild political saga that defined his brief time in Congress.
At 37 years old, Santos’s rise and fall captivated Washington and the nation. Elected in 2022 to represent a wealthy district spanning parts of Queens and Long Island, he flipped the seat for the GOP but served less than a year before being ousted by his colleagues. Santos became just the sixth member of the House to be expelled, following revelations that he had fabricated much of his biography, including false claims about his education, employment, and athletic achievements.
During his campaign, Santos falsely portrayed himself as a successful Wall Street businessman and a volleyball star at a college he never attended. He also described himself as “a proud American Jew” before clarifying he meant “Jew-ish,” referencing his Brazilian mother’s Jewish heritage. These fabrications triggered congressional and criminal investigations into how he funded his campaign, culminating in federal charges.
His legal troubles were extensive. Santos faced 23 federal counts, including money laundering, theft of public funds, making materially false statements to the House of Representatives and the Federal Election Commission, and falsifying records to obstruct the FEC. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft as part of a plea deal in 2024.
A federal judge denied his request for a lighter two-year sentence in April 2025, citing doubts about his remorse. Santos had expressed sorrow over his actions but also claimed he was a victim of political persecution. Despite this, the court handed down an 87-month sentence, which Santos has described as “practically a death sentence.”
In the lead-up to his prison report date, Santos made his interest in a presidential pardon clear. During a May 2025 interview with Piers Morgan, he appealed for clemency, saying, “Seven years and three months in prison for a first-time offender over campaign matters just screams ‘over the top,’ and I would appreciate if the president would consider.” The White House, however, declined to comment on any clemency request, stating it would neither confirm nor deny such matters.
On the day before surrendering, Santos hosted a large virtual gathering on X, where over 800 supporters joined a Spaces conversation. He urged listeners to “make better choices” and be “smarter than me,” apologizing for the string of poor decisions that led to his downfall. The event featured appearances from notable supporters, including Ginger Gaetz, wife of Congressman Matt Gaetz.
During the conversation, Santos shared his views on incarceration and the criminal justice system, calling his sentence unfair and criticizing the punitive nature of American prisons. He joked about the prison commissary's overpriced snacks and the misguided advice to fight the toughest inmate to establish dominance. Santos also expressed hopes to teach civics while incarcerated, planning to bring a Bible gifted by his grandmother, a pocket Constitution, and a notepad.
Despite the serious circumstances, Santos maintained a flair for style and showmanship, stating, “I'm surrendering in Ferragamo so I can walk out in Ferragamo.” He reflected on his career with a sense of authenticity, saying he learned to be “unapologetically, 100% authentically yourself” and that he would change only the “how” of his actions, not the decisions themselves.
Since his expulsion from Congress, Santos has remained in the public eye through his podcast, “Pants on Fire with George Santos,” and by selling personalized video messages on Cameo. He has also continued to express fears about prison life, telling Tucker Carlson that he was “not built for this” and describing the sentence as a daunting challenge.
The Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton also houses other notable inmates, including Lamor Miller-Whitehead, a Brooklyn preacher sentenced to nine years for fraud. Santos described the minimum-security camp as a “big upgrade” from the medium-security facility where he was initially assigned.
His former campaign treasurer pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges related to falsifying campaign finance reports and was sentenced to probation, avoiding prison time. Meanwhile, Santos’s expulsion from the House in December 2023 was driven by a bipartisan vote of 311-114-2, with 105 Republicans joining Democrats to remove him due to his criminal conduct and misuse of campaign funds on luxury items and Botox treatments.
As Santos begins his sentence, the chapter that once promised a groundbreaking political career for the first openly gay Republican non-incumbent has closed in disgrace. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of deceit in public office and the relentless scrutiny that follows.
Whether Santos will maintain his social media presence during incarceration remains undecided, though he has spoken to individuals who might post on his behalf. His parting message calls for unity and honest discourse in an increasingly divided political landscape: “We are in a time in our life where we need to come closer as humans and not further.”
