Trump commutes sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case

President Donald Trump on Friday commuted the seven-year prison sentence of former US Rep. George Santos, who pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft. The controversial Republican’s release drew sharp political reactions, marking Trump’s latest high-profile act of clemency.

New York: President Donald Trump said on Friday he had commuted the sentence of former US Rep. George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity-theft charges.

The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people — including his own family members — to make donations to his campaign.

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He reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, in southern New Jersey, on July 25 and is being housed in a minimum security prison camp with fewer than 50 other inmates.

“George Santos was somewhat of a rogue, but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison,” Trump posted on his social media platform. He said he had “just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY”. “Good luck George, have a great life!” Trump said.

Joseph Murray, one of Santos’ lawyers, said late on Friday that the former lawmaker’s family was en route to the prison for his release. Andrew Mancilla, another Santos lawyer, applauded the president “for doing the right thing”.

Spokespersons for the Bureau of Prisons did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Santos’ account on X, which has been active throughout his roughly 84 days in prison, reposted a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post on Friday.

During his time behind bars, Santos has been writing regular dispatches in a local newspaper on Long Island, in which he mainly complained about the prison conditions.

In his latest letter, though, he pleaded to Trump directly, citing his fealty to the president’s agenda and to the Republican Party.

“Sir, I appeal to your sense of justice and humanity — the same qualities that have inspired millions of Americans to believe in you,” he wrote in The South Shore Press on October 13. “I humbly ask that you consider the unusual pain and hardship of this environment and allow me the opportunity to return to my family, my friends, and my community.” Santos’ commutation is Trump’s latest high-profile act of clemency for former Republican politicians since retaking the White House in January.

In late May, he pardoned former US Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who in 2014 pleaded guilty to underreporting wages and revenue at a restaurant he ran in Manhattan. He also pardoned former Connecticut Governor John Rowland, whose promising political career was upended by a corruption scandal and two federal prison stints.

But in granting clemency to Santos, Trump was rewarding a figure who has drawn scorn from within his own party.

After becoming the first openly-gay Republican elected to Congress in 2022, Santos served less than a year after it was revealed that he had fabricated much of his life story.