• George Santos begins serving a seven-year sentence for fraud.
• The former Congressman pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft.
• Santos describes prison as a "death sentence" and expresses fears for his safety.
• He attempted to gain clemency due to his support for Donald Trump.
• Santos hosted a farewell on social media before reporting to prison.

Disgraced former U.S. Representative George Santos reported to a federal prison in New Jersey on Friday to start serving a seven-year sentence for fraud. Santos pleaded guilty last summer to charges of federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, having deceived donors and stolen identities to finance his congressional campaign, according to HuffPost, Los Angeles Times, and Le Monde.

Before surrendering, Santos hosted a farewell party on the social media platform X, stating: "Well, darlings … The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed." He compared his upcoming prison stay to a "death sentence," expressing that, "I'm not built for this," during recent media appearances, according to HuffPost and Los Angeles Times.

Santos was sentenced following a federal judge's refusal to grant him a reduced two-year sentence, citing a lack of genuine remorse from the convicted politician. Despite expressing that he was "profoundly sorry" for his actions, he has frequently referred to himself as a victim of a political witch hunt, as reported by Los Angeles Times and Le Monde.

Representing parts of Queens and Long Island, Santos' political career ended abruptly with revelations of fabrications regarding his professional and personal history. He falsely presented himself as a successful business owner and a collegiate volleyball star and mischaracterized his Jewish heritage, leading to significant congressional and criminal scrutiny, according to HuffPost, Los Angeles Times, and Le Monde.

Since his ouster, Santos has attempted to remain in the public eye by hosting a podcast titled "Pants on Fire with George Santos" and selling personalized video messages through Cameo. He continues to hope that his strong support for President Donald Trump may lead to a last-minute clemency request, although the White House has remained noncommittal on the matter, as stated by Los Angeles Times and Le Monde.