Washington — A federal magistrate judge overseeing the recent bond hearing for Rep. George Santos expressed concern to two family members who supported his release on bond, stating that their decision involved their ability to exert “moral control” over the embattled GOP lawmaker.
Santos’ father, Gercino dos Santos, and his aunt, Elma Preven, acted as suretors and guaranteed the unsecured bond after the congressman was charged by the Justice Department last month. Their identities were undisclosed until Thursday, when their signatures on an order setting the conditions for his release were revealed.
A transcript of the criminal bond hearing, which took place in Central Islip, New York on May 15, was made public on Friday. During the hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Shields cautioned Santos’ father and aunt about the risks they assumed by guaranteeing the $500,000 bond.
“There is a danger if he fails to comply with any of the bond conditions,” she said. “First and foremost, it poses a risk to him as he may be incarcerated. But more importantly for both of you, you are signing a bond that makes you financially responsible. So it’s not just about feeling guilty. This bond amounts to $500,000.”
However, Shields explained to the pair that their obligations extended beyond the financial responsibility associated with Santos’ compliance with the conditions of his release.
“It is about how well you know someone, and whether you can exert a level of control or moral control over the person so that they understand what you are doing for them,” she said. “I advise you to give him a call today. Let him know you came in and signed the bond. Keep an eye on him.”
Neither Santos’ father nor his aunt own properties that could serve as collateral for the bond, and the judge warned that if the congressman fails to comply, it could adversely affect their credit ratings and ability to obtain mortgages.
According to the order detailing the conditions for Santos’ release, the freshman congressman must adhere to pretrial supervision, be subject to random home visits and employment verification, and surrender his passport. He is restricted to traveling between New York and Washington, D.C., and requires permission for travel elsewhere. Santos is also prohibited from contacting four individuals, whose identities remain unknown.
One of the individuals attempted to contact Santos after his court appearance last month, but he did not answer the call, as revealed in the transcript.
In a discussion about Santos’ reelection campaign, which he announced in April, and the potential for events that may take him outside of Washington and New York, Shields cautioned that if the congressman were caught traveling beyond those areas, a warrant for his arrest could be issued.
She reiterated that Santos is “certainly” restricted from leaving the country, prompting his father to say, “make sure he understands that.” An unidentified speaker responded, “Yeah.”
Shields advised Santos’ father and aunt to occasionally call the congressman and inquire about his whereabouts.
“He needs to keep you informed about where he is, at all times,” the judge said, emphasizing that by cosigning the bond, “you are responsible for knowing his location.”
Santos is scheduled to appear in court for an in-person conference before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert on June 30.
The congressman was indicted last month and is facing 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, making false statements to Congress, and theft of public funds. If convicted, Santos could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He pleaded not guilty during his initial appearance before Judge Shields on May 10.
The $500,000 bond, guaranteed by his father and aunt, allowed Santos to be released while his case progresses. He unsuccessfully attempted to keep his relatives’ names confidential.
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