George Santos May Be Headed to Jail

George Santos, the embattled Republican congressman, could be headed to jail after a judge ordered on Tuesday the release of the names of three people who co-signed his $500,000 bail bond last month.

Santos' attorneys have fought a request filed by several news organizations that have sought the names' release. Santos, a freshman New York lawmaker representing a district on Long Island, was arrested and charged with multiple financial crimes last month. Prosecutors have accused him of committing fraud during his campaign, alleging that he used political donations "to line his pockets" and unlawfully applied for unemployment benefits, among other crimes.

Santos pleaded not guilty to all charges in the 13-count federal indictment and is due back in court on June 30. The three unidentified individuals who signed the bond, which allowed his pretrial release, are known as bond suretors, or guarantors. His attorney, Joseph Murray, argued against the release of their names in a letter to U.S. Magistrate Anne Shields on Monday, saying that the disclosure could endanger the three people.

They could "suffer great distress, may lose their jobs, and God forbid, may suffer physical injury," Murray wrote. "In fact, if the suretors are required to be identified, we respectfully request that the Court allow the suretors notice before the court releases their information so that they can withdraw as cosignors on the bond and Rep. Santos and I will appear before Your Honor forthwith."

Murray continued: "My client would rather surrender to pretrial detainment than subject these suretors to what will inevitably come."

Representative George Santos departs the U.S. Capitol after a vote on May 11. On Tuesday, a judge ruled against his request to not unseal the names of three people who co-signed a $500,000 bond allowing his pretrial release after his arraignment last month. Win McNamee/Getty

The suggestion that Santos would return to jail to avoid the names' release could be tested now that Shields has ruled against his request to keep the identities of the three people undisclosed.

Shields gave Santos until noon on Friday to appeal her decision, and the names will not be released until then, the Associated Press reported. Santos has not said whether he plans to appeal the decision.

Newsweek reached out to Santos' office for comment via email.

Santos' bond is unsecured, meaning that the suretors were not required to pay the $500,000 bond up front but would be required to pay if he does not comply with the conditions of his release, the AP said.

Read more Steve Bannon calls for Marjorie Taylor Greene to be primaried Steve Bannon calls for Marjorie Taylor Greene to be primaried

Santos first came under scrutiny after his victory in the 2022 midterms, when he flipped a traditionally Democratic-leaning district that consists primarily of Nassau County and parts of Queens. Just weeks after his win, The New York Times reported that parts of his résumé, including his educational and employment history, were falsified.

While Santos has admitted to embellishing the résumé during his campaign, he has said he committed no criminal wrongdoing and will not resign from office, despite calls from some in his party that he step down. He has also said he will seek reelection in 2024.

The congressman was arraigned last month on "seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives," according to the indictment.