A federal court in New York on Friday sentenced former Republican congressman George Santos to seven years and three months in prison.

Prosecutors had recommended sentencing for, among other things, a range of offenses “from creating a completely fictitious resume to callously stealing money from elderly and disabled donors.”

They accused Santos of “unbridled greed and a voracious appetite for fame,” which allowed him to “exploit the very system by which we select our congressmen.”

According to prosecutors, despite pleading guilty to two counts of felony fraud and showing remorse to the cameras, Santos is a “pathological liar” who has no regrets for his actions.

For their part, as reported by NBC, his lawyers had asked the court for the minimum sentence of two years.

“His conduct, while involving dishonesty and abuse of trust, stemmed largely from a misplaced sense of desperation rather than malice,” his lawyers argued, pointing to Santos’ clean criminal record.

From a fake resume to expulsion

Santos was elected to Congress in 2022, when he won a seat on Long Island that was previously held by Democrats.

Before his term had even begun, it was known that his resume was full of holes. The New York Times reported that he had lied or embellished parts of his resume. This led to the revelation of other falsehoods, such as the claim that he was Jewish. He later stated that he was “sort of Jewish.”

Later, campaign finance fraud was also revealed. Prosecutors said he committed identity theft and defrauded donors to enrich himself and live in luxury. A House Ethics Committee report found that Santos spent campaign funds on rent, luxury items, trips to Las Vegas and the luxury resort of the Hamptons, cosmetic treatments, and a subscription to OnlyFans.

The House of Representatives finally voted to impeach him in December 2023.