By JAKE OFFENHARTZ
A recent court filing has revealed that Rep. George Santos was bailed out of federal custody by his father, Gercino dos Santos Jr., and his aunt, Elma Preven. Santos, who is facing criminal charges and financial scrutiny, had fought to keep their identities secret. However, media organizations, including The Associated Press, successfully petitioned the court to unseal the records, citing the right of public access to court proceedings.
The court filing disclosed that dos Santos and Preven co-signed Santos’ $500,000 bond, enabling his release while he awaits trial for fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. Despite his initial reluctance, Santos was unsuccessful in preventing the disclosure of his guarantors’ identities.
In a previous court filing, Santos’ attorney argued that the media attention and potential backlash faced by his clients justified keeping their names hidden. Santos himself expressed concerns that the media would harass his guarantors and make their lives miserable. However, a federal judge denied his request to maintain secrecy, and subsequent appeals were also unsuccessful.
On Twitter, Santos announced that he and his family had accepted the court’s decision to unseal the filings. He expressed hope that no harm would come to them. The judge’s newly unsealed filing stated that Santos’ attempts to hide his family members’ names had unnecessarily caused hysteria over a nonissue.
Both Santos’ aunt and father are New York residents and had donated to his political campaign. His father is listed as a painter in campaign finance records, while Preven claimed to have worked as a mail carrier. Attempts to reach them for comment were unsuccessful.
The efforts made by Santos to conceal his guarantors’ identities had led to speculation and doubts, with some House Democrats suggesting that a financial supporter may be seeking to exert political influence over the congressman. In response, Reps. Dan Goldman and Greg Landsman introduced a resolution urging the House Ethics Committee to disclose the names to investigate any potential violations of congressional gifting rules.
Santos pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him, including defrauding donors, theft from his campaign, providing false information to Congress about his wealth, and fraudulent collection of unemployment benefits. Despite calls for his resignation and questioning about the source of his wealth, Santos has refused to answer and remains defiant. Federal prosecutors allege that Santos grossly inflated his income and assets, falsely claiming a $750,000 salary from the Devolder Organization LLC.
If convicted, Santos could face a maximum of 20 years in prison. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 30th.
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