Former Santos Campaign Fundraiser Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — A former campaign fundraiser for Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges related to his alleged impersonation of a top aide to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in order to get campaign donations for Santos, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

Appearing before a judge in Central Islip, Samuel Miele, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud after using a false identity to gain more than a dozen potential contributors while taking 15% commissions on each donation.

When sentenced, Miele faces up to 20 years in prison. During his court appearance Tuesday, Miele agreed to pay $109,171 in restitution, $69,136 in forfeiture, and a separate stipulated payment of $470,000 to a contributor.

Miele was a fundraiser for Santos in 2020 and 2022 with the campaign headquartered in Suffolk County, the indictment in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York said. He allegedly sent Santos a letter on Sept. 26 saying it was "high risk, high reward in everything I do."

"The defendant used fraud and deceit to steal more than one hundred thousand dollars from his victims, funneling this money into the campaign committees of candidates for the House, and into his own pockets," Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, stated United States Attorney Peace, wrote in a news release Tuesday. "Defrauding potential political contributors undermines our democracy, and we will vigorously prosecute such conduct."

Miele was arrested in August, three months after Santos was charged with fraud, money laundering, and making false statements.

Santos has not been charged in connection with Miele's crimes and has claimed that he was unaware of Miele's schemes, according to The New York Times. Santos fired Miele shortly after learning what Miele had done, the outlet reported.

Miele's lawyer did not say whether Miele's plea deal included an agreement with prosecutors to testify against Santos, according to The Times.

Miele is the second person in Santos' campaign to plead guilty to federal charges. Last month, Nancy Marks, a veteran Long Island political operative and the ex-campaign treasurer for Santos, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring with a congressional candidate to commit wire fraud, make materially false statements, obstruct the administration of the Federal Election Commission, and commit aggravated identity theft.

Marks had faced questions about the congressman’s unusual campaign filings, including a series of $199.99 expenses, just below the legal limit for disclosure. Santos, in turn, has sought to pin the blame for his unexplained finances on Marks, who he claims “went rogue” without his knowledge.

While Santos has admitted fabricating key parts about his purported background as a wealthy, well-educated businessman, questions remain about what he did for work, as well as the true source of more than $700,000 he initially claimed to have loaned his campaign from his own personal fortune.

Santos, who is now facing 23 felony counts including wire fraud and money laundering, has pleaded not guilty to charges he duped donors, stole from his campaign, and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn’t deserve. He has defied calls to resign.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.