George Santos, the Republican who won a seat in Congress by fabricating details of his life story, then went to prison on fraud charges, was granted a pardon by President Donald Trump on Friday.
“George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues all over our country who did not have to spend seven years in prison,” Trump wrote on social media. “Good luck George, have a great life!” Trump concluded.
Here is a timeline of Santos’ extraordinary rise and fall.
November 8, 2022: Santos defeats Democrat Robert Zimmerman in the first known congressional election to include openly gay candidates. The district includes a small portion of New York City and a group of suburbs on Long Island.
December 19, 2022: New York Times He posts a story questioning whether Santos imagined his autobiography.
December 26, 2022: Santos admitted to fabricating some details about his resume, including that he had a degree from Baruch College and had worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Although he described himself as a “proud American Jew” in a position paper, he insists that he “never claimed to be a Jew” but rather a “Jew.”
December 28, 2022: Nassau County prosecutors say they have launched an investigation into Santos.
January 2023: Santos is sworn in. Questions are emerging about how his campaign was financed after filings offered contradictory accounts.
January 31, 2023: Santos steps down from his congressional committees but says he will not resign.
February 2023: Information surfaced that Santos had been accused of stealing dogs in Pennsylvania in 2017 using bad checks. The case was dismissed after Santos said the checks came from a checkbook that was stolen from him.
March 2, 2023: The House Ethics Committee announces an investigation into Santos.
May 10, 2023: Santos is indicted and pleads not guilty to federal charges of stealing from donors and his campaign, collecting unemployment benefits he was not entitled to, and lying to Congress about his wealth.
October 10, 2023: A new indictment accuses Santos of stealing donors’ identities and placing unauthorized charges on their credit cards. Santos pleaded not guilty to revised charges later that month.
November 16, 2023: The House Ethics Committee said in a scathing report on Santos that it had gathered “overwhelming evidence” that he violated the law, conclusively concluding that he “cannot be trusted.”
December 1, 2023: The House of Representatives expels Santos by 311 votes to 114, easily achieving the required two-thirds majority.
December 2023: Shortly after being expelled from the House of Representatives, Santos was found offering personalized video messages to the public for up to $200 on Cameo.
February 2024: Santos files a lawsuit against late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, alleging that Kimmel tricked him into making Cameo videos that were used to mock Santos on the show.
April 23, 2024: Santos abandons his independent bid to return to Congress, a month after announcing his candidacy. His campaign committee reported that he had not raised any money in March 2024.
August 19, 2024: Weeks before the case goes to trial, Santos pleads guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, blaming his ambition for influencing his judgment and saying he is “overwhelmed with profound remorse.” On the same day, a judge dismissed Santos’ lawsuit against Kimmel, saying the host’s use of Cameo videos for criticism and commentary was fair use.
April 25, 2025: Santos is sentenced in federal court to more than seven years in prison.
July 25, 2025: Santos reports to the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, southern New Jersey.
October 17, 2025: President Donald Trump commutes Santos’ sentence.
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