US Lawmaker Charged for Alleged Cryptocurrency Fraud
US lawmaker George Santos charged with serious crimes, including a suspected cryptocurrency scam.
George Santos, a new member of the House of Representatives, is in trouble for thirteen serious crimes. These include stealing from supporters, dishonestly collecting unemployment checks, and lying in disclosures to the House. One of his strange plans seemed to involve a cryptocurrency scam similar to the well-known "Nigerian prince" email trick, as reported by the New York Times.
Santos and two other men told a campaign donor about a rich person in Poland who wanted to buy cryptocurrency. They said this person couldn't buy it because their money was locked up. They didn't say why the money was locked up or give the Polish person's name, but they wanted the donor to set up a company to help them access the money. The donor felt that their plan sounded like the "Nigerian prince" email scam and asked for more information. Santos and the others asked the donor to sign an agreement not to talk about the plan, but talks ended when the donor asked for changes to the agreement.
The scheme involved Santos, former Republican state assemblyman Michael LiPetri and Bryant Park Associates, a company run by Republican donor Dominick Sartorio, according to the report. LiPetri told The Times that he was aware of Santos’ efforts but wasn't involved “in detail” and said no deal ultimately happened.
A request for comment on this story sent to Santos' lawyer was not immediately returned.
Santos, who is 35 and represents New York's 3rd district, was arrested in March and charged with thirteen serious crimes. He pleaded not guilty.
Cryptocurrency and politics have started to cross paths more often recently. U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a Twitter Spaces event that he owns bitcoin and thinks it's a "currency of freedom". He said he would back the U.S. dollar with bitcoin and not tax it if he were elected.
