0:27The prior U.S. Congressman George Santos arrives at a courthouse in Central Islip, New York, on August 19, 2024.Stefan Jeremiah/AP, FILE
Former Congressman George Santos, Republican of New York, was released from confinement the prior week following President Donald Trump shortening his federal sentence for fraudulent activities; however, this might not signify an end to possible criminal proceedings at the municipal level.
The office of the district attorney in Nassau County, which encompasses a portion of the region Santos used to represent, opted not to comment on any ongoing inquiries by prosecutors that could justify bringing charges at the state level.
"Ever since I initially became aware of the actions of George Santos, I have been proactively endeavoring to bring him before the justice system," stated Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. "I take pride in the accomplishments of my office, and the verdict obtained in partnership with the U.S. Attorney's office. Although we cannot offer insights into current probes, it should be noted that I maintain a dedication to prosecuting instances of political corruption irrespective of political party lines."
George Santos, subsequent to his expulsion from the United States House of Representatives, exits the Central Islip Federal Courthouse in Central Islip, New York, following his sentencing for criminal corruption offenses on April 25, 2025.Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
A spokesperson for Donnelly’s team chose not to give further details.
Santos had served for three months of his seven-year prison term related to deception, fraud, and misinforming Congress when Trump intervened, remarking that Santos "had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
According to the official document for clemency, a photo of which was shared on X by U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Trump granted Santos an "immediate reduction of his entire sentence to the amount of time already served without additional financial penalties, compensation, parole, supervised release, or further stipulations."
The previous legislator was freed from the correctional facility shortly before 11 p.m. Friday night and was met by his family, according to a declaration from his legal representative, Joe Murray.
Santos admitted culpability to a set of fraudulent offenses and was condemned in April to a prison sentence of 87 months—the maximum term—along with a two-year period of supervised release.
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Sourse: abcnews.go.com
