George Santos—the previous congressman who as soon as named a invoice after Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s alleged vaccine mishap—was sentenced Friday to greater than seven years in federal jail for a string of fraud and identification theft prices tied to his 2022 marketing campaign.
The 35-year-old ex-lawmaker from New York will serve 87 months behind bars after pleading responsible final August to wire fraud, aggravated identification theft and theft of public funds.
Prosecutors stated George Santos used faux marketing campaign paperwork, stole donor identities and even collected pandemic-era unemployment advantages whereas working for workplace.
He’s additionally on the hook for $373,000 in restitution and a $205,000 forfeiture judgment and can be below supervised launch for 2 years after serving his sentence.
The sentencing caps a spectacular fall from grace for the embattled Republican, who was expelled from Congress in December 2023 following a scathing Home Ethics Committee report that detailed widespread misconduct.
Prosecutors described George Santos as a “pathological liar and fraudster” who confirmed “no real regret.”
However earlier than his authorized troubles reached a boiling level, Santos made headlines for a special sort of controversy involving Nicki Minaj, COVID-19 vaccines and a now-infamous tweet about swollen testicles.
In 2021, in the course of the pandemic, Nicki Minaj tweeted: “My cousin in Trinidad gained’t get the vaccine cuz his pal obtained it & grew to become impotent. His testicles grew to become swollen. His pal was weeks away from getting married, now the lady known as off the marriage. So simply pray on it & be sure you’re comfy with ur determination, not bullied.”
The publish shortly went viral and was condemned by everybody from Pleasure Reid to Dr. Terrence Deyalsingh, the well being minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
In 2023, Santos launched a invoice known as the Medical Data Nuanced Accountability Judgement Act, or MINAJ Act, a nod to the rapper’s declare.
The invoice aimed to ascertain a improvement interval for brand new vaccines to spice up public confidence. Sadly for Santos, the invoice was by no means handed.
Santos should report back to jail by July 25, 2025.
