• George Santos sentenced to 87 months in prison for wire fraud and identity theft.
• Prosecutors cited his lack of genuine remorse, pointing to his social media activity.
• Santos admitted to using campaign funds for personal luxuries, including Botox and vacations.

Former U.S. Representative George Santos has been sentenced to 87 months in prison following his conviction for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. This sentencing comes after he pleaded guilty to multiple financial crimes, admitting to elaborate deceit aimed at profiting from his political position. Judge Joanna Seybert, overseeing the case, remarked on Santos's apparent lack of genuine remorse, saying, "Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?" as he pleaded for leniency in sentencing, according to The New York Times and HuffPost.

Prosecutors argued that Santos continued to undermine his claims of remorse through various social media posts, underscoring their position that he remained unrepentant. They highlighted that he exploited vulnerabilities of his victims, including elderly individuals with cognitive impairments, showing disregard for their welfare in pursuit of personal gain, as reported by ABC News and BBC.

Santos's fraudulent activities included using campaign donations to fund a lavish lifestyle, such as purchasing luxury items and staying at high-end hotels. Following the revelation of his deceitful schemes, Santos was expelled from Congress in December 2023, becoming only the sixth member in U.S. history to be ousted, according to The New York Times and The New York Times.

In court, a tearful Santos expressed regret for his actions, stating, “I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.” However, many observers, including prosecutors, found his apologies lacking in sincerity due to ongoing contentious public statements regarding his legal plight. His lawyers had sought a lesser sentence of two years, emphasizing his lack of prior criminal history and upbringing challenges, as reported by Los Angeles Times and The Hill.

The judge ultimately decided on the maximum sentence requested by prosecutors, reflecting the seriousness of Santos's offenses and the need to deter future political fraud. Santos's case continues to attract attention not only for his fraud but also for the implications it holds for accountability within political structures, as detailed in HuffPost, Los Angeles Times, and AA.