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(Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)Republican Rep. George Santos of New York said Thursday he will not seek reelection in 2024 in the wake of a damning House Ethics report that found "substantial evidence" of campaign fraud and other violations by the embattled congressman. Santos "blatantly stole from his campaign" and "sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit," according to the report from the investigative body of the House Ethics Committee. The full ethics panel, led by Republican Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, unanimously adopted the report and voted to refer its findings to the Department of Justice. The scathing, 56-page ethics report is only the latest blow to Santos, the scandal-plagued freshman lawmaker who is facing a raft of criminal theft and fraud charges in New York federal court. Last month, Santos' former campaign treasurer Nancy Marks pleaded guilty to campaign finance fraud charges related to her work for Santos.

Persons: George Santos, Jabin Botsford, Santos, Michael Guest of, Joe Murray, Sam Miele, Miele, Kevin McCarthy, Nancy Marks Organizations: House Republican, Washington, Getty Images, Republican, Republican Rep, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Department of Justice, FBI, Santos Locations: Washington, DC, Washington ,, George Santos of New York, OnlyFans, New York, Long

A former fundraiser for U.S. Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal wire fraud charge, admitting he impersonated a high-ranking congressional aide while raising campaign cash for the embattled New York Republican. Miele is the second campaign aide to Santos who took a plea deal in a federal probe. Federal prosecutors say Santos wired some of the money to his personal bank account and used the rest to pad his campaign coffers. Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and has vowed to clear his name. Santos also recounted what he believed was an attempt by Miele last summer to try to rejoin Santos' campaign.

Persons: George Santos, Sam Miele, Dan Meyer, Kevin McCarthy, Meyer, Miele, Santos, “, Kevin Marino, Marino, ” Miele, Nancy Marks, Marks, ” Santos, Prosecutors Organizations: U.S . Rep, New York Republican, Republican, Federal, U.S, Eastern, of, Federal Elections Commission, Republican Party, Associated Press Locations: Santos, Peace, U.S, of New York, Queens, Long, —

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos stole the identities of donors to his campaign and then used their credit cards to ring up tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges, according to a new indictment filed Tuesday. In the updated indictment, prosecutors accuse Santos of charging more than $44,000 to his campaign over a period of months using cards belonging to contributors without their knowledge. Santos’ personal and professional biography as a wealthy businessman began to unravel soon after winning election to represent parts of Long Island and Queens last year, revealing a tangled web of deception. Santos was not initially charged in the criminal complaint against Marks, but was identified in court papers as a “co-conspirator." Because the unauthorized charges exceeded contribution limits under federal law, Santos listed the additional payments as coming from his own unwitting relatives, prosecutors allege.

Persons: George Santos, Santos, Attorney Breon Peace, “, ”, Santos ’, — Santos, Nancy Marks, Marks, Long, Sam Miele, Miele, Kevin McCarthy, Kevin Marino, Farnoush Amiri Organizations: — U.S . Rep, New York Republican, Federal Elections Commission, Republican Party, Attorney, U.S Capitol, Queens, Republican, Prosecutors, GOP Rep, Press Locations: ” U.S, Long Island, Santos, Washington

☆ A former campaign staffer for Rep. George Santos who impersonated Kevin McCarthy's chief of staff for donations was just indicted for wire fraud and identity theft
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A New York grand jury indicted a former fundraiser for Rep. George Santos' 2020 and 2022 campaigns. The indictment alleges that Sam Miele impersonated someone without their permission in order to solicit more than a dozen donations. The indictment does not say who Miele impersonated, but previous reporting notes the stolen identity was of Dan Meyer, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's former chief of staff. While the indictment does not say who, exactly, Miele impersonated, previous reporting from The Washington Times and CNBC notes that Miele took on the identity of Dan Meyer, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's former chief of staff. Miele's indictment comes three months after federal prosecutors unsealed a thirteen-count indictment against Santos that included charges of theft of public funds, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Persons: George Santos, Sam Miele, Dan Meyer, Kevin McCarthy's, Santos, Miele, Meyer, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Service, GOP Rep, New, Prosecutors, The Washington Times, CNBC, Washington Times, Citigroup, Catholic, Baruch College, New York University Locations: York, Wall, Silicon, New York, Miele

☆ Kevin McCarthy says he's 'always had a few questions' about George Santos' resume
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Kevin McCarthy told MSNBC he's always "had a few questions" about George Santos' CV. A Santos staffer has been accused of impersonating McCarthy's chief of staff in 2020 and 2022. McCarthy told MSNBC he has spoken to Santos about the impersonation scandal. MSNBC also asked McCarthy about a CNBC report published in January about Sam Miele, a Santos staffer. Representatives for Santos and McCarthy did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ George Santos campaign paid staffer nearly $100k to pretend to be Kevin McCarthy's chief of staff and get money from donors
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A fundraiser for George Santos allegedly posed as Kevin McCarthy's chief of staff, per CNBC. According to FEC filings, the fundraiser was paid almost $100k by Santos' campaign. According to CNBC, Santos' campaign paid Miele almost $50,000 for fundraising during the embattled lawmaker's failed 2020 run for Congress. Meyer, McCarthy's office, and Santos' campaign did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. The non-partisan watchdog Campaign Legal Center (CLC) also filed a complaint with the FEC on Monday, alleging that Santos and his 2022 campaign violated campaign-finance laws by engaging in a "straw donor scheme."

☆ 'We were duped': How George Santos raised money from wealthy GOP donors while lying about his resume
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

His name was actually Sam Miele, and he worked for Santos raising money for his campaign, according to one GOP donor who contributed to Santos' campaign. In raising money for his campaign, Santos fed donors the same falsehoods he gave voters, campaign fundraisers and others say. "We were duped," said a Republican political strategist close to GOP donors and the leadership of the Republican Jewish Coalition. The RJC is considered the most prominent group of Jewish Republican donors, making gatherings such as the Hanukkah event key networking platforms for politicians. Vallone gave $17,900 in August between Santos' campaign, his leadership PAC and a joint fundraising committee, according to FEC records.

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