New York Republican Representative George Santos is facing allegations of misusing campaign funds for personal expenses, according to a House ethics report. The report reveals that Santos used his campaign money for various personal expenses, including subscriptions to the adult content platform OnlyFans, luxury brand Hermes, Botox treatments, and Sephora purchases.
The funds in question were traced back to a corporate entity called Redstone Strategies, which Santos controlled. While Santos claimed that Redstone was used to support his 2022 congressional campaign, House investigators found that he had transferred money to his personal checking account and spent it on himself. The report states that the funds were used to pay off personal debts, make luxury purchases, and cover smaller expenses at OnlyFans, Sephora, and for meals and parking.
The report also suggests that Santos may have been in financial trouble before using campaign funds for personal expenses. In April 2022, his personal checking account had a balance of only $136.93, and he had reached out to a donor for $6,000, claiming it would be used for campaign advertising.
In addition to these allegations, Santos is accused in a federal fraud and campaign finance indictment of embezzling campaign funds for personal use. The indictment alleges that he stole donor credit card information to pay for luxury goods and other personal expenses. Santos has pleaded not guilty to these charges, and the trial is scheduled for September 2024.
Following the release of the ethics report, Santos announced that he would not seek re-election in 2024. It remains to be seen how these allegations will affect his political career and the outcome of the trial.