The indictment accuses Santos of undertaking a “fraudulent political contribution solicitation scheme,” alleging that he set up a company and got supporters to contribute funds to it under the false pretense that the money would benefit his political campaign.
Prosecutors claim that thousands of dollars instead went his Santos’ personal expenses, including luxury designer clothing and credit card payments.
The indictment puts Santos at the center of a scheme to dupe supporters into thinking their money would help his candidacy when the funds were not used for that purpose and actually were routed to a company he controlled.
Prosecutors allege the Republican directed another person – described only as "Person #1" in the indictment – to falsely tell prospective political contributors that their money would flow to a political nonprofit that could accept unlimited funds and would undertake television ads and other efforts to get him elected. Two unnamed contributors gave $25,000 each, according to the complaint.
But the money didn’t support his candidacy, prosecutors say. Instead, according to the indictment, Santos “converted most of the money to his personal benefit.”
Specifically, funds from the two contributors were spent by Santos on cash withdrawals, designer clothes, credit card payments, a car payment, paying off personal bills and at least one bank transfer to Santos’ “personal associates,” according to the complaint.
Prosecutors, however, did not charge Santos with violating federal campaign finance laws as part of the alleged scheme, but allege he committed wire fraud in lying to contributors about how the money would be spent.