NEW YORK — Disgraced former Congressman George Santos is demanding a postponement of his February sentencing so he can continue making new episodes of his podcast “Pants on Fire with George Santos.”
In August, Santos, 36, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He owes the government $578,752.92 under his plea agreement. That includes $373,749.97 in restitution and $205,002.97 in forfeiture. He is expected to serve a minimum of two years in prison if convicted, although the judge previously said the estimated sentence was between 6 and 8 years.
In a letter to a judge last Friday, Santos’ attorneys said their client must pay more than $200,000 in forfeited money 30 days before he is sentenced. They say that through his podcast, Santos “now has a viable path to making meaningful progress in meeting its obligations, requiring only additional time for the quarterly compensation structure to generate sufficient cash.”
They asked the judge to postpone his sentencing from February 7 to a Friday in August.
Santos’ lawyers said the podcast was initially scheduled to be released in September, but since it didn’t launch until December, they would like more time to record more episodes.
A delay “would send a message that crime pays,” prosecutors say
Prosecutors responded to the request for a stay of sentencing by saying Santos’ claims that he needs more time to get the podcast off the ground are “prima facie speculative, and in any event completely insufficient to be so” to justify a prolonged delay’.
“His request for a stay should be denied and sentencing should proceed as scheduled,” they wrote. “A delay in allowing Santos to develop his podcast – the title of which is a tone-deaf and unrepentant reference to the crimes he committed – is presumptively unreasonable.”
Prosecutors also said Santos has already earned his due over $400,000 in cameo appearances and $400,000 for participation in a documentary. All this is in addition to his $174,000 salary as a congressman. They disagreed with the claim that he had less than $1,000 in liquid assets.
“If Santos could avoid punishment specifically to capitalize on his disgrace, it would send the message that crime pays,” prosecutors wrote. “Delaying sentencing to give him more time to grow his podcast listenership would allow Santos to further use his criminal prosecution for personal gain.”
“Justice delayed is justice denied”
Voters in New York’s 3rd Congressional District formed an alliance two years ago to defeat then-Rep. Santos, whose lies about his career and his past were unraveling before their eyes. They say their fight continues.
“It’s just egregious that someone like George Santos continues to try to defraud the public,” said Sally Marzouk of the group Nassau Residents for Good Government.
“He’s such a national joke now that I think it’s worth reminding everyone that he caused real and tangible damage,” said Kim Keizerman of Concerned Citizens NY-03.
“Santos was deported in December 2023. It’s been over a year since he’s been out of Congress. He belongs in jail. Why didn’t he go to jail. Justice delayed is justice denied,” said Jody Kass Finkel , also from concerned citizens NY-03.
