Newly unsealed court documents have revealed that Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was bailed out of jail by his father, Gercino dos Santos Jr., and his aunt, Elma Santos Preven.
The documents, made public on Thursday, June 22, disclosed the names of the suretors who posted the $500,000 bail bond for Santos after his recent arrest. Santos’ father, a former house painter residing in New York, and his aunt, who works for the United States Postal Service and owns properties in both Queens and Brazil, had both made significant donations to Santos’ congressional campaign.
Santos is facing charges brought by the Justice Department, including stealing public money, money laundering, making false statements to Congress, and wire fraud.
He has pleaded not guilty and called the case a “witch hunt.” Following his arrest in May, Santos had attempted to keep the identities of his suretors private, citing concerns for their safety and well-being. However, media outlets and the House Ethics Committee pushed for the disclosure of the names.
While the unsealing of the court documents revealed the suretors’ identities, it also led to the imposition of a protective order on discovery materials, ensuring their confidentiality.
Santos’ legal troubles have garnered much attention since it was revealed that he had fabricated parts of his background, including his resume, which resulted in calls for his expulsion from Congress. Despite the controversies surrounding him, Santos has expressed his intention to run for re-election in New York’s 3rd congressional district in 2024.