Former Rep. George Santos says he will only pay restitution if he’s required by law

WASHINGTON — Former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., said in a CNN interview Sunday that he would only repay about $374,000 in restitution if “the law requires it.”

“I can do my best to do everything the law requires of me,” Santos said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” when asked if he would work to repay people as a judge previously ordered.

“So, I don’t know what it is. I’ve been out of prison for two days. I agreed to come here to speak to you frankly and openly and not to dissemble,” he said. “If the law requires it, yes. If it doesn’t, then no. I will do whatever the law requires.”

Santos was released from prison after President Donald Trump commuted his sentence Friday, reducing his seven-year prison term after less than three months.

The former congressman previously pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of his sentence, Santos was ordered to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution to those prosecutors said were victims. Prosecutors had accused Santos of embezzling money from campaign donors and charging credit cards without authorization, among other crimes.

In a separate interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Santos claimed he still does not have to pay restitution.

“I have no business with the law anymore. I have no restitution. I have no probation,” he said, adding that “most of the restitution was really senseless.”

Santos was previously expelled from the House in December 2023. A little more than a month after his election, Santos was launched into the spotlight after The New York Times reported that he appeared to have fabricated much of his resume. In November 2023, the House Ethics Committee released a report saying there was “substantial evidence” that the then-congressman had “violated federal criminal laws,” prompting Santos to declare that he would not run for re-election.

Trump announced Friday that he would commute Santos’ sentence, saying in a Truth Social article that Santos “was horribly mistreated.” In the same message, Trump said that “at least Santos had the courage, conviction and intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!” »

In the same message, Trump targeted Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, who apologized for saying he served in the military “in Vietnam” rather than “during Vietnam.” Trump argued that Blumenthal’s actions were “much worse than those of George Santos.” After Santos’ commutation, Blumenthal told NBC News that “Trump’s comments are manufactured nonsense,” adding that there was “no excuse to commute George Santos’ sentence.”

Santos’ commutation also sparked the ire of Richard Osthoff, a Navy veteran who accused Santos of pocketing money from a GoFundMe raising money to have his dog’s surgery.

“My stomach dropped; I felt like I was going to throw up,” Osthoff said after hearing about the switch.

Santos thanked the president in his Fox News interview, praising Trump for having “such an incredible willingness to give second chances.” In his CNN interview, Santos dismissed Trump’s critics.

“I am convinced that if President Trump had pardoned Jesus Christ from the cross, he would have had criticism,” Santos told CNN. “So that’s just the reality of our country.”