Santos' Backers Revealed: His Father and His Aunt

They guaranteed his bail bond; congressman had fought to keep identities secret
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 22, 2023 1:52 PM CDT
Santos' Backers Revealed: His Father and His Aunt
U.S. Rep. George Santos leaves the federal courthouse in Central Islip, N.Y., May 10, 2023.   (AP Photo/Seth Wenig. File)

The two people who bailed Rep. George Santos out of federal custody have been revealed to be his father and his aunt, a detail the Republican fought to keep secret as he faces criminal charges and swirling questions about his finances. Gercino dos Santos Jr. and Elma Preven were named in a court filing on Thursday as the co-signers of Santos' $500,000 bond, which enabled his release as he awaits trial on federal charges of fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. Santos had fought to keep their names secret. They were revealed after media organizations petitioned the court for the records to be unsealed, citing the right of public access to court proceedings, per the AP.

In a court filing earlier this month, his attorney, Joseph Murray, said Santos would rather go to jail than subject his guarantors to the "great harm" that could come from public disclosure. Under the bond agreement, the co-signers did not have to pay any money upfront, but would be held financially liable if Santos did not return to court. While the identities of signatories are normally made public, Murray pointed to the "media frenzy and hateful attacks" faced by Santos as a reason to make an exception. Santos told reporters after his initial court appearance they would "never get" information about the source of his bail funds, claiming the media would "harass them and make their life miserable."

Both his aunt and father are New York residents who donated to Santos' political campaign. In campaign finance records, his father lists his occupation as a painter. Preven said she worked as a mail carrier. Attempts to reach them on Thursday were unsuccessful. Efforts by Santos to withhold their names from the public had fueled speculation, with some House Democrats suggesting that a financial supporter could be seeking to exert political influence on the congressman. In the unsealed filing, Judge Joanna Seybert wrote Santos "did nothing to diffuse the 'media frenzy,'" adding that his attempts to shield the names of his family members had "simply created hysteria over what is, in actuality, a nonissue."

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Santos pleaded not guilty on May 10 to a 13-count indictment charging that he duped donors, stole from his campaign, lied to Congress about being a millionaire and cheated to collect unemployment benefits he didn't deserve. Santos could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He is due back in court on June 30th.

(More George Santos stories.)

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