CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – Former Rep. George Santos was in court docket Tuesday morning.
Santos appeared for a standing convention as he negotiates a doable plea deal on fraud costs.
Santos gave the impression to be in good spirits and may very well be seen smiling and laughing together with his legal professional as they arrived.
Santos mentioned he injured his foot, and was subsequently carrying Ferragamo sneakers fairly than his luxurious crimson loafers.
He wasn’t his ordinary, chatty self when he left court docket.
He would not reply questions as as to if there was a plea deal, as a substitute sipping some espresso as he was pushed away. He did not share developments in court docket of a possible responsible plea.
Prosecutors acknowledge they’re “engaged in plea negotiations with the goal of resolving this matter without the need for a trial.” But in the event that they fail to achieve a deal, prosecutors requested to maneuver up the trial date to the spring.
The decide mentioned, attributable to 1.3 million discovery materials paperwork that the protection has to assessment, she is inclined to maintain a September begin.
Meanwhile, Santos is on the cash path, making severely huge bucks on Cameo, upping his payment from $75 to $500 a message. Speaking with CBS New York’s Marcia Kramer on “The Point” after he was expelled, he mentioned he made extra in seven days on Cameo than he did throughout his time in Congress.
“The idea came from a former Kevin McCarthy staffer. He reached out and said ‘George, you have such a large personality. The people love you,” Santos mentioned.
Santos is free on $500,000 unsecured bond.
Outside the courtroom, he advised reporters he had nothing to say aside from “Happy Holidays,” including “I wish you guys would take a break from saying my name.”
Prosecutors advised the decide they count on plea negotiations to proceed, and no formal supply has but been made.
Santos faces almost two dozen costs associated to alleged wire fraud, id theft and marketing campaign finance violations and different crimes detailed in a pair of federal indictments handed down earlier this yr.
He was expelled from Congress Dec. 1.
Santos is due again in court docket Jan. 23.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-rep-george-santos-appears-in-federal-court-on-long-island/