https://sputnikglobe.com/20230202/fbi-reportedly-investigating-george-santos-for-stealing-3000-from-homeless-veteran-1106900623.html
FBI Reportedly Investigating George Santos for Stealing $3,000 From Homeless Veteran
FBI Reportedly Investigating George Santos for Stealing $3,000 From Homeless Veteran
Sputnik International
The GoFundMe scheme raised $3,000 for life-saving surgery for a dying service dog owned by a disabled United States Navy veteran, however Osthoff never received the funds and says Santos stopped responding to his messages.
2023-02-02T02:27+0000
2023-02-02T02:27+0000
2023-02-02T02:21+0000
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The FBI has reportedly launched an investigation into embattled Rep. George Santos (R-NY) over his alleged role in a fundraising scheme involving a disabled US Navy veteran's dying service dog, it was detailed on Wednesday.Last week, a man named Richard Osthoff spoke to the media and told them Santos, who is already facing a myriad of scandals, helped him raise funds to save his dying service dog in 2016 through GoFundMe. Osthoff, who was homeless at the time, said Santos had been using the name “Anthony Devolder.”Santos had allegedly set up and raised about $3,000 for the veteran’s service dog, named Sapphire, who had developed a tumor in 2015. However, Santos allegedly took off with the funds and ghosted the veteran. Sapphire died about six months after the Osthoff's last correspondence with Santos.Osthoff has since handed over text messages between him and Santos from 2016 to two FBI agents who are now investigating Santos’ role in the scheme. The agents contacted Osthoff on Wednesday on behalf of the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York, according to POLITICO.Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Daniel Goldman (D-NY) have welcomed the investigation after calling for a Federal Election Commission investigation into Santos’ campaign finances last month - after reports spread like wildfire following Santos’ admission that he lied on the campaign trail about his education and work experience.“Only the US attorneys are capable of moving at the speed that’s necessary,” Torres said in an interview.“Given that a serial liar like Santos is still walking the halls of the Capitol, it is imperative that the Justice Department move quickly to determine whether an indictment is appropriate,” said Goldman in a separate interview.At least 78% of Santos’ New York constituents now believe he should resign. As a result of the ongoing investigations, Santos has temporarily recused himself from his committee assignments on Tuesday.Santos’ attorney has declined to comment on the incident as Santos has denied allegations he kept fundraiser money from the veteran. However, the allegations stemming from the GoFundMe scheme may result in several types of charges, including wire, mail and bank fraud, according to Joshua Schiller, a senior trial lawyer. “I think there is an urgency here because Santos is currently in a position to make laws,” Schiller said. “I can think of examples where the government used a lesser indictment to seize assets and try to cause the defendant to plea to a deal before bringing a second or third indictment on more serious charges, and I bet that is the case here.”
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230120/us-congressman-santos-denies-past-as-drag-queen-as-resum-scandal-deepens-1106521047.html
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FBI Reportedly Investigating George Santos for Stealing $3,000 From Homeless Veteran
The GoFundMe scheme raised $3,000 for life-saving surgery for a dying service dog owned by a disabled US Navy veteran, however, reports indicated that the Navy vet never received the funds. It's been said that Santos stopped responding to his messages.
The FBI has reportedly launched an investigation into embattled Rep. George Santos (R-NY) over his alleged role in a fundraising scheme involving a disabled US Navy veteran's dying service dog, it was detailed on Wednesday.
Last week, a man named Richard Osthoff spoke to the media and told them Santos, who is already facing a myriad of scandals, helped him raise funds to save his dying service dog in 2016 through GoFundMe. Osthoff, who was homeless at the time, said Santos had been using the name “Anthony Devolder.”
Santos had allegedly set up and raised about $3,000 for the veteran’s service dog, named Sapphire, who had developed a tumor in 2015. However, Santos allegedly took off with the funds and ghosted the veteran. Sapphire died about six months after the Osthoff's last correspondence with Santos.
Osthoff has since handed over text messages between him and Santos from 2016 to two FBI agents who are now investigating Santos’ role in the scheme. The agents contacted Osthoff on Wednesday on behalf of the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York, according to POLITICO. “I’m glad to get the ball rolling with the big-wigs,” Osthoff said in an interview Wednesday. “I was worried that what happened to me was too long ago to be prosecuted.”
Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Daniel Goldman (D-NY) have welcomed the investigation after calling for a Federal Election Commission investigation into Santos’ campaign finances last month - after reports spread like wildfire following Santos’ admission that he lied on the campaign trail about his education and work experience.
“Only the US attorneys are capable of moving at the speed that’s necessary,” Torres said in an interview.
“There’s no one that poses a greater threat in Congress than Santos. It’s undeniable that he’s broken the law. We have to protect Congress from George Santos, who threatens it from within,” Torres added.
“Given that a serial liar like Santos is still walking the halls of the Capitol, it is imperative that the Justice Department move quickly to determine whether an indictment is appropriate,” said Goldman in a separate interview.
At least 78% of Santos’ New York constituents now believe he should resign. As a result of the ongoing investigations, Santos has temporarily recused himself from his committee assignments on
Tuesday.
20 January 2023, 11:36 GMT
Santos’ attorney has declined to comment on the incident as Santos has denied allegations he kept fundraiser money from the veteran.
However, the allegations stemming from the GoFundMe scheme may result in several types of charges, including wire, mail and bank fraud, according to Joshua Schiller, a senior trial lawyer. “I think there is an urgency here because Santos is currently in a position to make laws,” Schiller said.
“I can think of examples where the government used a lesser indictment to seize assets and try to cause the defendant to plea to a deal before bringing a second or third indictment on more serious charges, and I bet that is the case here.”
