Ex-U.S. Congressman George Santos pleaded guilty to corruption charges, cementing the downfall of the fledgling politician who was kicked out of Congress last year after a short, scandal-filled term, Reuters reported, citing BTA.
Santos, a Republican, was indicted in May 2023 for using campaign funds to pay for personal expenses, using donors' credit cards without their consent, and for receiving unemployment benefits while was at work. He entered his guilty plea at a hearing before US District Judge Joanna Seibert in New York.
Santos initially pleaded not guilty. Since December last year, he has been negotiating a plea deal with the prosecutor's office.
The charge against him prompted lawmakers to expel him from the House of Representatives in December.
Santos has spent much of his 11 months in office engulfed in scandal and marginalized by his fellow lawmakers after revelations he lied about much of his past.
A bipartisan investigation by the House Ethics Committee found that he spent money on his Botox campaign, luxury brands and an online platform known for its sexual content.
Santos' seat, which represented a small part of New York and some of the city's eastern suburbs, was filled in a special election in February by Democrat Tom Swasey.