George Santos joins list indicted members of Congress
- Santos faces 13 charges, including wire fraud and unemployment fraud
- Over 10 members of Congress have faced criminal charges while in office
- Charges range from money laundering to tax fraud
(NewsNation) — Rep. George Santos is in federal custody Wednesday after he was indicted on 13 charges — arraignment is pending.
The indictment includes five counts of wire fraud and three counts of unlawful monetary transaction, which relate to donations for Santos’ campaign which were allegedly used for personal expenses and purchases.
The New York Republican is the latest sitting member of Congress to be indicted. Here are the congressional members indicted since 2005:
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE)
In 2021, the former congressman was found guilty of one count of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators. In March 2022, he was sentenced to two years of probation and began the process of filing an appeal in June 2022.
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
In 2018, the former congressman and his wife were accused in a 60-count indictment of stealing more than $250,000 in campaign contributions and trying to hide it on financial disclose records. He plead guilty to a single count and was sentenced to 11 months in prison in 2020.
Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY)
In 2018, the congressman was indicted on insider trading and charges of lying to federal agents. In 2020, he plead guilty to giving his son nonpublic information about a drug company and was sentenced to 26 months in prison.
Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL)
In 2022, the former congresswoman pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud in her federal case.
She had been convicted in 2018 of 18 counts in the charity fraud case and served more than two years of her five-year sentence in prison before she was released in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns in prisons.
As part of a plea deal, the other 17 charges were dropped and she was sentenced to 32 months of time served and was ordered to pay restitution of $62,650 to the IRS.
Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA)
The congressman was indicted in 2015 on 29 charges of racketeering and taking an illegal $1 million campaign loan that he repaid in part with government money. He was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
The senator was indicted on 14 counts, including bribery, in connection to $660,000 in campaign contributions that helped a friend and supporter with his business interest. He was cleared of the charges in 2018 after the Department of Justice asked a federal court to dismiss the 2015 indictment.
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY)
In 2013, the congressman was indicted on 20 counts involving tax fraud in connection with a Manhattan restaurant that he owned with others. He pleaded guilty to felony tax evasion and was sentenced to eight months in prison.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
In 2008, the senator was indicted on seven charges, including making false statements, in connection to failing to properly report gifts from an oil company executive that Stevens allegedly used to renovate his home. He was found guilty, but his conviction was later overturned.
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Also in 2008, the congressman was indicted on 35 counts including conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, and accused of an influence-peddling scandal involving a federal land exchange that included property in Arizona. He was convicted in 2013 on 17 felony counts and served three years in prison.
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)
The congressman was indicted in 2007 on 16 counts, accused of accepting $500,000 in bribes — $90,000 of which was hidden in his freezer before being discovered by the FBI. He was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas)
The former House Majority Leader was indicted in 2005 on charges of conspiring with two associates to illegally funnel corporate contributions into Texas state elections in 2002. He was convicted, but the conviction was overturned in 2013.