Brazil Reopens Criminal Charges Against George Santos Starting in 2008 Incident

Representative-elect George Santos (R.NY) will be sworn in Tuesday as he is under investigation by federal-level and local officials for false claims he made on the campaign trail.

The New York Times reported Brazil’s law enforcement officials were in Brazil over the weekend “intend to revive fraud charges” Santos was charged in connection to an incident that occurred in 2008, involving a checkbook that was allegedly taken.

The report stated that the case was suspended due to inability of law enforcement to locate him. Brazilian prosecutors will now request that the Department of Justice notify Santos of these charges.

According to the report, Santos was 19 when he entered a small clothing shop and spent $700 using his stolen checkbook and false name. The fraud was allegedly confessed by Santos on a Brazilian social networking site the next year.

The report stated that Santos and his mother confessed to police to having stolen the checkbook for fraudulent purchases in 2010. Although Santos was charged with the crime the following year, he was already living in the United States and had left the country.

According to the report, Santos cannot be contacted by U.S. or Brazilian officials at this stage. However, that could change if the case progresses. Santos could spend up to half a century in prison if he is convicted.

Santos has already admitted He admitted that he lied about his claims that he worked at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, as well as that he didn’t graduate from college. Santos also admitted to embellishing details about his personal life, religion, and sexuality. These controversies, however, would not distract from his duties, he stated.

“I am not a criminal,” Santos claimed. “This will not deter me from having good legislative success. I will be effective. I will be good.”

Long Island’s local prosecutors announced They opened an investigation into Santos late last month, following the scandal.

“The numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-Elect Santos are nothing short of stunning,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly.

“The residents of Nassau County and other parts of the third district must have an honest and accountable representative in Congress,” She continued. “No one is above the law and if a crime was committed in this county, we will prosecute it.”

The day following local prosecutors announced Federal prosecutors in New York confirmed that the Santos investigation was ongoing and they had also initiated a criminal investigation.