In mid-November 2023, the U. S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee released a long-awaited report on the alleged embezzlement of the campaign budget by Republican Rep. George Santos of New York, who had also been charged through the federal government with money and identity fraud. robbery last month. Array committee report found that in October 2022, Santos deposited the campaign budget into his private account and spent the money on designer items, makeup, and “small Onlyfans purchases. “Onlyfans is known as an online platform used by sex staff to sell specific images and videos to their subscribers.
Around the same time the committee’s report was released, social media users circulated an old interview in which Santos allegedly claimed that he had never heard of Onlyfans until a few weeks before the interview.
Santos made the claim, in an interview on Fox Business News in March 2023, months after spending on Onlyfans, in the committee’s report.
The host of the show, known as Kennedy, shared an excerpt from the interview on March 29, 2023:
Kennedy asked Santos at 3:54: “Is it true that you have an Onlyfans account and you can peel a banana with your feet?”
Santos responded, “I don’t have one. [. . . ] I just found out what OnlyFans is about 3 weeks ago when it came up in a discussion in my office. [. . . ] I don’t realize the whole concept.
“You just can’t tell the truth,” she replied, laughing.
However, the November 2023 report released through the House Ethics Committee contradicts this claim. He noted that Santos made money through RedStone Strategies LLC, a Florida-based company created in 2021 and hired through Santos’ campaign. The report further notes that in October 2022, RedStone’s bank account “earned a $25,000 wire movement from an account affiliated with Contributor 2. “Soon after, $25,000 was transferred to Santos’ private account from Redstone. A similar move was repeated a few days later, until Santos had $50,000 in his non-public account. -Public bank account. From there, “the budget was used, among other things, to pay off private credit card expenses and other debts; make a $4,127. 80 purchase at Hermès; and for small purchases on Onlyfans; Sephora; and for food and parking,” according to the report.
Again, those purchases took place months before he denied about Onlyfans in the Fox Business Network interview.
After the publication of the ethics report, Santos announced on X that he would not seek re-election once his term ends. “This is a disgusting politicized slander that shows how our federal government has fallen,” Santos wrote, referring to the report. Everyone involved in this grave miscarriage of justice will be ashamed of themselves. “He added, “However, I will NOT seek re-election for a second term in 2024, as my family deserves more than just being constantly under fire from the press. “
On Nov. 17, 2023, the Republican chairman of the House Ethics Committee introduced a solution to oust Santos, a vote that could take place after Thanksgiving.
Santos had also admitted to lying to voters about much of his life story before winning his House seat in 2022. We’ve covered some of those lies brought here to Snopes, adding main points about his education and career path.
Cohn, Pedro. Ethics president will call for Santos’ expulsion after report shows new violations; Santos says he will seek re-election. Roll-call, November 16, 2023, https://rollcall. com/2023/11/16/ethics-chairman-says-he-will-seek-santos-expulsion/. Consulté November 17, 2023.
Fandos, Nicolás. How Santos spent donor money: Ferragamo, Onlyfans and Botox. The New York Times, November 16, 2023. NYTimes. com, https://www. nytimes. com/2023/11/16/nyregion/santos-botox-ferragamo-expenses. html. Viewed November 17, 2023.
Fandos, Nicolas, et al. ” The Chairman of Ethics of the House of Representatives decides to expel George Santos. “The New York Times, November 17, 2023. NYTimes. com, https://www. nytimes. com/2023/11/17/nyregion/santos-expel-house-election. html. Consulté November 17, 2023
“Fox host asks George Santos if he has an Onlyfans account”. Mediaite, March 30, 2023, https://www. mediaite. com/tv/fox-host-asks-george-santos-if-he-has-an-onlyfans-account/. Accessed November 17, 2023.
Ibrahim, Nour. ” Was Rep. George Santos a drag queen in Brazil?” Snopes, January 19, 2023, https://www. snopes. com/news/2023/01/19/george-santos-drag-queen-brazil/. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
Regarding the accusations against Representative George Santos. Investigative Subcommittee, Ethics Committee, November 9, 2023, https://ethics. house. gov/sites/ethics. house. gov/files/documents/ISC Report_0. pdf. Accessed November 17, 2023.
Otten, Tori et al. ” Ethics Report: George Santos used campaign funds on Onlyfans and Botox. “The New Republic, November 1, 2022. La New Republic, https://newrepublic. com/post/176974/george-santos- Ethics report finally here condemning. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
The New York congressman elects George Santos under the fire of the ‘ornaments. ‘”Snopes, December 30, 2022, https://www. snopes. com/news/2022/12/29/claims-by-us-rep-elect- george-santos/. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
Trimble, Megan. « House Ethics Committee: “Substantial Evidence” George Santos Used Campaign Funds for Personal Use | CNN Politics. CNN, November 16, 2023, https://www. cnn. com/2023/11/16/politics/ethics-committee-releases-santos-report/index. html. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is an experienced journalist in television, foreign news coverage, fact-checking, and writing.
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