The FBI is talking to a veteran relating to his declare that Rep. George Santos stole hundreds of {dollars} that had been raised to pay for surgical procedure for his dying service canine, in line with NBC News.
New Jersey naval veteran Wealthy Osthoff accused Santos — who was utilizing the identify Anthony Devolder again in 2016 — of stealing $3,000 {dollars} raised on GoFundMe for the lifesaving remedy for his service canine, Sapphire. The canine by no means received the remedy, as a result of Osthoff mentioned he by no means received the cash.
Osthoff mentioned Wednesday that he’s “giving [the FBI] everything he has” together with texts with Santos.
“I’m elated the big guys finally picked it up,” Osthoff instructed NBC Information. “I turned over all my textual content messages and I’m within the strategy of turning over every part associated to the GoFundMe marketing campaign.”
Politico first reported on the scope of the FBI’s investigation. A spokesperson for the FBI in New York declined to remark, as did the Jap District of New York.
The Queens District Lawyer’s workplace beforehand declined to remark particularly on Santos’ alleged mishandling of the crowdfunding marketing campaign. A spokesperson for the workplace as a substitute reiterated a prior assertion about Santos’ alleged conduct, saying, “While as a matter of course we do not comment on open investigations, we are reviewing whether Queens County has jurisdiction over any potential criminal offenses.”
Santos’ workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from NBC Information. Santos addressed the canine allegations on Jan. 19, tweeting a partial denial as nicely.
“The reports that I would let a dog die is shocking & insane. My work in animal advocacy was the labor of love & hard work. Over the past 24hr I have received pictures of dogs I helped reduce throughout the years along with supportive messages. These distractions won’t stop me!” he tweeted. (A few hours later he deleted the tweet and changed it with a new one to repair the typo of “reduce” to “rescue.”)
The congressman’s tweet criticized, however didn’t instantly deny, allegations that Santos in 2016 had disappeared with the hundreds of {dollars} raised within the GoFundMe to cowl the prices of a surgical procedure for the veteran’s canine’s abdomen tumor.
“I tried to call the police, but without a real name — I didn’t know it was George Santos. No address and phone number, nothing they could do about it,” Osthoff mentioned in January. “I’m so livid that guy is a congressman! He doesn’t deserve that job.”
Calls are rising stronger for George Santos to resign. Greg Cergol reviews.
Again in his residence district, many have voiced their displeasure on the allegations in opposition to Santos.
“What George Santos did here was despicable. I am not sure what straw will break the camels back,” mentioned Mitch Furman, a Vietnam Struggle veteran. “Twenty veterans a day commit suicide in this country. Service dogs are one way to prevent that from happening.”
Santos, who gained his Lengthy Island congressional district in November, has been largely silent since arriving in Washington in January, saying solely that he embellished his resumé and that an ethics probe wouldn’t deter him. He was sworn in and has refused calls to surrender his seat, and has finished solely a couple of interviews on conservative retailers.
Santos once more admitted fabricating his resume in an interview with the conservative OAN Community on Wednesday — however he additionally blamed the media for spinning his story uncontrolled.
“I know that a lot of people want to create a narrative that I faked my way to Congress, which is absolutely categorically false,” he mentioned.
The congressman additionally confronted a reporter asking about one in every of his alleged lies, saying he thinks it is “insensitive that you keep bringing up my deceased mother.”
George Santos is briefly recusing himself from 2 committee assignments. Greg Cergol reviews.
Santos has claimed that his mom was at her workplace contained in the World Commerce Heart through the 9/11 terrorist assaults, however data obtained by NBC News in January confirmed she was dwelling in Brazil on the time. The data present Santos’ mom, Fatima Caruso Devolder, was admitted to the U.S. in April 2003 and had not been within the nation since 1999. She had been dwelling in Rio de Janeiro.
He additionally brushed apart a query about a ballot indicating 78 % of these questioned in his district imagine he ought to quit his job.
“I didn’t order a poll. If I order a poll I’ll talk about a poll,” he mentioned.
Santos, who represents New York’s third District, is reportedly beneath investigation by native, state and federal prosecutors — in addition to authorities in Brazil, the place he has been accused of fraud.