DOJ files criminal charges against George Santos: report

The Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against New York Republican Rep. George Santos, an freshman lawmaker who has faced considerable allegations of legal wrongdoing.

He will reportedly appear in federal court as soon as Wednesday, CNN reported, citing "three sources familiar with the matter."

The charges remain under seal, though CNN pointed to allegations of false statements in the lawmaker's campaign finance filings as a possible source of charges.

Santos managed to flip a competitive congressional district during the 2022 midterm elections. Shortly after, however, he faced scrutiny for campaign statements that embellished his resume and background.

As a candidate, the lawmaker contended that he previously worked for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. He has since admitted to working for LinkBridge, a third firm he says did business with both.

He further made claims that his family had fled Nazi Germany to escape the Holocaust, though reporting has cast doubt on that claim as well. 

Santos agreed to a deal with Brazilian prosecutors in March to confess to a 2008 incident in which he defrauded a local clerk of more than $1,300 in shoes and clothes, CNN reported.  He has further come under scrutiny for reports that he previously performed as a drag queen in Brazil.

The New York Republican has resisted calls for his resignation and filed to run for reelection in 2024.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.