Republican Rep. George Santos floated a theory on social media Wednesday that his federal fraud indictment was in response to his defense of exiled Chinese billionaire businessman Miles Guo (pictured)

Republican Rep. George Santos floated a theory on social media Wednesday that his federal fraud indictment was in response to his defense of exiled Chinese billionaire businessman Miles Guo.

The Long Island liar was taken into custody in New York after he was indicted on a string of offenses including money laundering, wire fraud and making false statements during his campaign. 

Santos, tweeting after the indictment, suggested it was because he ‘asked questions’ about Guo, AKA Guo Wengui, a Steve Bannon ally who faces his own fraud charges.

‘I asked questions about #MilesGuo & the DOJ indicts me 5 days later! The fight is real & I’m OVER the target, I need your support to keep me fighting for freedom,’ Santos wrote.

On May 4, Santos had asked in another tweet: ‘Why is Miles Guo being held without bail?’ 

Republican Rep. George Santos floated a theory on social media Wednesday that his federal fraud indictment was in response to his defense of exiled Chinese billionaire businessman Miles Guo (pictured)

Republican Rep. George Santos floated a theory on social media Wednesday that his federal fraud indictment was in response to his defense of exiled Chinese billionaire businessman Miles Guo (pictured)

Wengui, a financier who backed conservative social media app Getter, now faces creditors including the Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund. The fund says he owes them $254 million.

Guo was previously sued by the firm for unpaid loans totaling $88 million he is said to have taken out between 2008 and 2011.

His perilous finances stand in marked contrasts to Wengui’s prior boasts about his vast wealth. 

In 2015, he bought a $67.5 million apartment in the Sherry Netherland Residence Building – a famed co-op which sits on the so-called ‘Billionaires Row’ of Fifth Avenue and Central Park in New York. But the businessman listed it for sale just months later. 

Wengui also owned a huge superyacht, the Lady May, which he bought for $28 million in 2015, and was a member of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago country club in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

Earlier in February, a New York judge ordered him to pay $134 million in fines for his attempt to move the luxurious vessel.

In another attempt to divert attention, Santos then called out President Joe Biden’s troubled son by tweeting: ‘WHERE’S HUNTER?’

Santos got into a heated confrontation with reporters and criticized the criminal cases against him after pleading not guilty to 13 federal charges for misleading donors and lying about his finances.

Santos, tweeting after the indictment, suggested it was because he 'asked questions' about Guo

Santos, tweeting after the indictment, suggested it was because he ‘asked questions’ about Guo

Guo Wengui is pictured, left, with Steve Bannon, right. In 2018, Guo linked up with Bannon for a gimmick attempt to overthrow China's communist government

Guo Wengui is pictured, left, with Steve Bannon, right. He bankrolled the Trump 2016 svengali, but has now sought bankruptcy protection, despite previously claiming to have been a billionaire 

Santos was taken into custody in New York after he was indicted on a string of offenses including money laundering, wire fraud and making false statements during his campaign.

He appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon, pleaded not guilty and was freed on bail in a pivotal moment in his career, just four months after he was sworn in.

Santos was mobbed by reporters when he left court and called the charges against him a ‘witch hunt’. 

He also said he won’t resign, insisted he still plans to run for re-election and asked why President Joe Biden’s family wasn’t being investigated by the Department of Justice.

‘I’m going to fight the witch hunt,’ he vowed, picking up a phrase used regularly by former President Donald Trump to describe a series of investigations.

Republican Rep. George Santos got into a heated confrontation with reporters and criticized the criminal cases against him after pleading not guilty to 13 federal charges for misleading donors and lying about his finances

Republican Rep. George Santos got into a heated confrontation with reporters and criticized the criminal cases against him after pleading not guilty to 13 federal charges for misleading donors and lying about his finances 

Prosecutors have accused him of using donor funds to buy designer clothes and pay off personal debts and for applying for COVID unemployment benefits while running for Congress and making $125,000 a year.

He will appear in court again on June 30 and was also made to surrender his passport. 

Santos address a phalanx of media outside the courthouse, vowing to fight the charges.

‘Look, this is the beginning of the ability for me to address and defend myself. We have an indictment. We have the information that the government wants to come after me on and I’m going to comply,’ he said.

‘I’ve been complying throughout this entire process. I have no desire not to comply at this point. They’ve been gracious in there. Now I’m going to have to fight to defend myself.’

The Long Island liar was taken into custody in New York after he was indicted on a string of offenses including money laundering, wire fraud and making false statements during his campaign

The Long Island liar was taken into custody in New York after he was indicted on a string of offenses including money laundering, wire fraud and making false statements during his campaign

Santos addressed a mob of reporters, said he would fight to prove his innocence, and called the charges part of a 'witch hunt'

Santos addressed a mob of reporters, said he would fight to prove his innocence, and called the charges part of a ‘witch hunt’

Then, he tried to change the subject to family members of President Joe Biden – drawing boos from people gathered around him. 

‘The reality is it’s a witch hunt. It makes no sense that in four months, four months, five months I’m indicted. You have Joe Biden’s entire family receiving deposits from nine family members receiving money from foreign destinations into their bank accounts. It’s been years of exposing … and yet no investigation is launched into them.

‘I’m going to fight my battle. I’m going to deliver. I’m going to fight the witch hunt. I’m going to take care of clearing my name and I look forward to doing that.’

He was referencing a new report by House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.). Hunter Biden is reportedly under federal investigation for tax matters and a gun charge. 

Santos tried to convey an air of business as usual, despite the extraordinary indictment and the pressure it put on his fellow lawmakers.

‘I have to go back and vote. Tomorrow we have one of the the most consequential votes of this Congress, which is a border bill, and I’m very looking forward to be there for that,’ he said.

‘I appreciate everybody’s patience with my presence in Congress,’ he said, adding that he respects the media. He said he plans to continue having an ‘open door.’

‘I think this is about innocent until proven guilty. This starts. I have my right to fight to prove my innocence as the government has the right to fight to try to find me guilty in whatever charges,’ he said.

‘I’m going to fight my battle. I’m going to deliver. I’m going to fight the witch hunt. I am going to take care of clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that,’ he said. 

The Eastern District of New York unsealed the indictment on Wednesday morning, 24 hours after Santos appeared to have no idea he was being charged.

The indictment includes seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements to the House of Representatives. 

The allegations add to the litany of lies he has been accused of, including stealing money meant for a dying Iraq War veteran’s dog and being behind a credit card fraud. 

‘This indictment seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,’ stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. 

‘Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself. 

A defiant Santos told reporters he won't resign and will run for re-election despite the 13 federal criminal charges he is facing

A defiant Santos told reporters he won’t resign and will run for re-election despite the 13 federal criminal charges he is facing 

Santos said he was returning to Washington and planned to vote in the Capitol Thursday

Santos said he was returning to Washington and planned to vote in the Capitol Thursday

‘He used political contributions to line his pockets, unlawfully applied for unemployment benefits that should have gone to New Yorkers who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and lied to the House of Representatives. 

‘My Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively root out corruption and self-dealing from our community’s public institutions and hold public officials accountable to the constituents who elected them.’ 

The charges related to unemployment benefits carry potential additional political sting, since the benefits draw funds from the state whose voters sent him to Washington.

Prosecutors say he took those benefits while receiving income. 

‘At the height of the pandemic in 2020, George Santos allegedly applied for and received unemployment benefits while he was employed and running for Congress,’ said D.A. Anne Donnelly. 

‘As charged in the indictment, the defendant’s alleged behavior continued during his second run for Congress when he pocketed campaign contributions and used that money to pay down personal debts and buy designer clothing.’

At the time, Santos was pulling in $120,000 a year from his Florida-based investment firm.

Santos’ arraignment is set for Wednesday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay at the Alfonse D’Amato Federal Courthouse. 

A newly unsealed indictment charges Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) with claiming unemployment benefits while pulling in a six-figure salary and using campaign donations for personal uses, as well as making false statements on his financial disclosures

A newly unsealed indictment charges Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) with claiming unemployment benefits while pulling in a six-figure salary and using campaign donations for personal uses, as well as making false statements on his financial disclosures

Santos surrendered himself at the Islip Federal Court

Santos surrendered himself at the Islip Federal Court

Photographers lines up to see the serial fabricator as he faced federal charges

Photographers lines up to see the serial fabricator as he faced federal charges

The alleged scheme brought him $24,000 in unemployment insurance benefits. 

The indictment also spells out a ‘fraudulent’ scheme where Santos defrauded political supporters, telling a political consultant to inform donors their contributions were to elect him to Congress. That led two donors to transfer $25,000 to the bank account of an LLC operated by Santos. 

Santos then took those funds and transferred them to his personal bank accounts, according to the indictment. ‘Santos allegedly then used much of that money for personal expenses’ – including designer clothing, cash withdrawals, and to service debts. 

The feds also charge Santos with making false statements to Congress on his required financial disclosures. Those forms require a ‘full and complete’ disclosure of his finances.

The indictment says he overstated the income he got from one firm and ‘altogether failed’ to disclose he got from an investment firm during his first campaign for Congress.

The indictment alleges he overstated his income and assets during his second run – when he shocked political experts by defeating Democrat Robert Zimmerman.

The ‘false’ statement claimed he got $750,000 in salary from the Devolder Organization LLC; got dividends of between $1 million and $5 million, and held a savings account with up to $5 million.

Those claims were ‘false,’ according to the indictment, which also charges he failed to disclose $28,000 in income from an investment firm and $20,000 in UI benefits from New York.  

The indictment’s charges of fraud and money laundering pose a political headache for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who relies on Santos’ vote in his narrow majority. 

McCarthy indicated to reporters Monday after news of the then-sealed indictment broke that he intended to stand by him.

‘Just like we had before with [former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry] … he was found guilty and then I told him he needed to resign,’ McCarthy said. Fortenberry was convicted of lying about foreign campaign contributions.

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