Lying Long Island Rep. George Santos’ father and aunt were revealed Thursday as the secret bail backers who put up the embattled Republican’s $500,000 bond in his criminal fraud case.
Gercino Dos Santos and Elma Santos Preven were revealed as the suretors for the bond after the document was unsealed by US District Judge Joanna Seybert.
Santos’ lawyers had argued the New York Republican’s relatives would be subject to “attacks and harassment” if their identities were made public.
Santos was arrested last month and charged with several crimes, including embezzling $50,000 in campaign money to buy designer clothing and pay personal expenses, lying to Congress about his income, misrepresenting himself to donors and cheating his way to COVID unemployment benefits.
Gercino Dos Santos and Elma Santos Preven were revealed as the suretors of Rep. George Santos’ $500,000 bond. REUTERS
Santos with his father Gercino Dos Santos.
Santos leaves federal court in Central Islip, Long Island, after pleading not guilty to 13 federal charges over accusations that he misled donors and misrepresented his finances. Derek French/Shutterstock
US District Judge Joanna Seybert unsealed the document. USDC
Santos’ attorneys had argued that his relatives would be subject to “attacks and harassment” if their identities were made public. REUTERS/Evelyn HocksteinIn a court filing that explained her decision, Seybert said that Magistrate Judge Shields was seeking to quell “speculation that the Suretors were lobbyists, donors, or others seeking to influence Defendant.”
Seybert added that Santos was creating a “media frenzy” and brought more attention to the issue than necessary.
“Indeed, it appears Defendant’s continued attempts to shield the identity of his Suretors, notwithstanding the fact that he is aware their identities are not controversial, has simply created hysteria over what is, in actuality, a nonissue,” she wrote.
The 34-year-old pleaded not guilty to the 13-count indictment at his first appearance in Central Islip federal court.
