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A2 u.s. news
Monday 19 august 2024
Ex-Rep. George Santos expected to plead guilty to multiple

counts in fraud case, AP source says

By SUSAN HAIGH collecting unemployment going to prison, he said: "I
Associated Press benefits while actually work- think everybody should be
Former U.S. Rep. George ing and using campaign afraid of going to jail, it's
Santos is expected to plead contributions to pay for not a pretty place and uh, I
guilty to multiple counts in his personal expenses such as definitely want to work very
federal fraud case, accord- designer clothing. hard to avoid that as best
ing to a person familiar with Among the charges Santos as possible."
the matter. faces are wire fraud, theft of Earlier this week, Judge Joan-
Santos, a Republican from public funds, money launder- na Seybert rejected Santos'
New York, is expected to en- ing and aggravated identify request that potential jurors
ter the plea at a court hear- theft. fill out a written questionnaire
ing planned for Monday on Prosecutors recently told the gauging their opinions of him.
Long Island, the person said. judge that the trial could last His lawyers argued in court
The person could not pub- three weeks because they filings it was necessary be-
licly discuss details of the expected to call at least cause "for all intents and
plea and spoke to The As- Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., leaves the Capitol after being three dozen witnesses, in- purposes, Santos has already
sociated Press on condition expelled from the House of Representatives, Friday, Dec. 1, cluding some victims of San- been found guilty in the court
of anonymity. 2023, in Washington. tos' alleged crimes. of public opinion."
Messages were left seeking Associated Press Santos has previously main- Lawyers for the government
comment from Santos and lawyers jointly requested one before jury selection was set tained his innocence and had also been seeking to
three lawyers representing on Friday. to begin on Sept. 9. Santos called the investigation a admit as evidence some of
the former congressman. They also sought and re- has previously pleaded not "witch hunt," claims that pros- the lies Santos made dur-
The court hearing was sched- ceived a delay in certain guilty to a range of financial ecutors called "baseless" in ing his campaign. Before
uled for Monday afternoon pre-trial deadlines. crimes, including lying to a recent court filing. But in he was elected in 2022 to
after prosecutors and Santos' The news comes just weeks Congress about his wealth, December, when prosecu- represent parts of Queens
tors said plea negotiations and Long Island, he falsely
were ongoing, Santos said claimed to have graduated
in an interview at that time from both New York University
that a deal was "not off the and Baruch College and that
table." he had worked at top Wall
Asked if he was afraid of Street firms.q

Trump again decries two gold
medalist Olympic athletes, falsely
labeling the female boxers as men

pic Games and the case of
two athletes who became
the subject of international
scrutiny regarding miscon-
ceptions about their gender.
Trump has long criticized
transgender people as part
of his rallies and focused spe-
cifically on transgender ath-
letes, using language about
gender identity that LGBTQ+
advocates say is wrong and
harmful.
In the case of the two boxers,
Republican presidential nominee both Imane Khelif of Algeria
former President Donald Trump and Li Yu-ting of Taiwan have
speaks at a campaign rally at faced misconceptions about
the Mohegan Sun Arena at their gender created by the
Casey Plaza, Saturday, Aug.
17, 2024, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. fallout from the Olympic-
Associated Press banished International Box-
ing Association's decision last
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former year to disqualify both fight-
President Donald Trump on ers from the world champi-
Saturday again decried onships for allegedly failing
two gold medalist Olympic an eligibility test.
athletes, falsely labeling the Trump did not mention the
female boxers as men. athletes by name but re-
Trump made the comments marked that "in the Olym-
while speaking at a cam- pics, they had two transi-
paign rally in Pennsylva- tioned."
nia and pledging to "keep "They were men. They transi-
men out of women's sports," tioned to women, and they
turned his attention to the were in the boxing," Trump
recently concluded Olym- said. q