Ex-campaign fundraiser for Rep. Santos indicted for posing as high-ranking House aide.
Former Campaign Fundraiser for Rep. George Santos Indicted for Impersonation
A former campaign fundraiser for U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-NY) has been indicted in a federal case for allegedly impersonating a high-ranking aide in the House of Representatives to solicit potential contributions from over a dozen donors.
“Mr. Miele is not guilty of these charges,” Kevin Marino, his attorney, told CNBC, adding that his client “looks forward to completing vindication at trial as soon as possible.”
Samuel Miele, the former fundraiser, has been charged with four counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the unsealed indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Miele, 27, allegedly used the name and a fake email address of a high-ranking aide to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to secure campaign funding for Santos while earning a 15% commission on each donation. Multiple news outlets have identified the impersonated aide as Dan Meyer, who retired in June after serving as McCarthy’s chief of staff for the past four years.
Federal prosecutors claim that Miele sent fraudulent fundraising solicitations through emails and phone calls to more than a dozen prospective donors between August and December 2021.
On September 26, 2022, Miele allegedly admitted to “faking my identity to a big donor” in a letter to Santos, stating that he was “high risk, high reward in everything I do.”
A spokesman for McCarthy told The Associated Press that they were first made aware of the impersonation in August 2021.
Implications for Rep. George Santos
Prosecutors have notified two judges in the Eastern District Court that Miele’s criminal case “may be presumptively related” to campaign-related charges filed against Santos earlier this year.
Santos, who was charged with over 13 counts in March 2023, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making false statements to the House of Representatives, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Furthermore, Santos has been accused of misusing campaign funds for personal expenses, such as buying designer clothes and alleviating credit card debt.
While House leaders have been divided on whether Santos should resign from his elected position, some New York Republicans expressed support for a House Democrat-led resolution to censure him.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) criticized McCarthy for allowing Santos to continue serving amid his criminal charges, calling it “pathetic and shameful.”
However, Republican lawmakers have indicated that they will let the legal process play out before taking any further steps, such as expulsion.
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