Santos seeks to delay sentencing, hoping to pay off fines with podcast
Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is looking to delay sentencing on federal fraud charges so he can pay off his fines through funds generated by his new podcast.
Santos’s sentencing is currently scheduled for Feb. 7 and his attorneys are seeking to delay until August. Prosecutors are disputing the request and asking the judge to keep the February date in place.
In a filing last week, Santos’s team noted Santos is required to pay a Forfeiture Money Judgment 30 days prior to sentencing. The total is more than $205,000. Santos also had to pay nearly $375,000 in restitution.
Since Santos left Congress after being voted out in Dec. 2023, he’s appeared to make money using his online presence through Cameo videos and launched a podcast last month.
“Mr. Santos now has a viable path to making meaningful progress in satisfying his obligations, requiring only additional time for the quarterly compensation structure to generate sufficient funds,” his attorneys said, calling the podcast a “promising revenue stream.”
Santos originally announced the launch of his podcast, “Pants on Fire with George Santos,” shortly after pleading guilty. The start of the podcast was delayed due to “technical and logistical impediments.” It officially launched Dec. 15.
In their response, prosecutors said Tuesday that Santos has had ample time since the sentencing date was set approximately five months ago.
They disputed Santos’s claim that his podcast could generate enough money to satisfy the fine.
“Santos’s claims are facially speculative and, in any event, entirely insufficient to warrant such a lengthy adjournment,” they argued. “His request for delay should be denied, and sentencing should proceed as scheduled.”
Prosecutors argued the court should deny Santos’s request for multiple reasons, including that it could create a “perverse incentive structure” that rewards defendants who have notoriety.
“Allowing Santos to stave off sentencing specifically to monetize his infamy would send a message to the public that crime pays,” they argued.
Santos pleaded guilty in August to two felonies, avoiding a criminal trial.
Although Santos originally faced 23 felony counts, his lesser plea means he is still likely to face jail time.
Sentencing would completely bookend Santos’s dramatic rise and fall.
He flipped a New York House district from blue to red in 2022 and was highlighted as the first openly gay Republican who is not an incumbent to win a House seat.
He was expelled from the lower chamber after a scathing House Ethics Committee report found he deceived campaign donors, stole from campaign funds and used it for personal use.