Rep. George Santos takes plea deal in Brazil fraud case: sources

Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is seen outside of his office in the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.

by: Geovany Dias Silva

Posted: May 12, 2023 / 04:28 PM EDT

Updated: May 12, 2023 / 04:31 PM EDT

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (PIX11) – Embattled Congressman George Santos took a plea deal with a district attorney’s office in Brazil that was handling his fraud case from 2010, sources told PIX11 News on Friday.

The case was resolved in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, court records show. During a video conference, Santos confessed to the crime and agreed to pay BR$ 14,000, around $2,000 in U.S. currency, to the victim to settle the case, sources said.

Santos was accused of using his mother’s boyfriend’s checkbook to buy clothes back in 2008. The case was reopened earlier this year after a series of scandals involving the Republican lawmaker in the U.S.

Santos is no longer a defendant in Brazil following the deal, according to his attorney.

The development comes just days after Santos was arrested in New York and charged with several crimes, including money laundering and fraud.