U.S. Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., who pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of wire fraud, money laundering, stealing public funds and lying on federal disclosure forms, asked his supporters to "chip in" to help him keep "fighting for freedom."
"The fight is real & I'm OVER the target, I need your support to keep me fighting for freedom," Santos tweeted Wednesday afternoon.
"I'm already a top target of the Democrats for 2024," he added on his fundraising website. "We need to start early and get prepared to keep this seat."
Santos' 13-count federal indictment was a reckoning for a web of fraud and deceit that prosecutors allege overlapped with the lawmakers' fantastical public image as a wealthy businessman — a fictional biography that began to unravel after he won election last fall.
Santos, 34, was released on $500,000 bond following his arraignment. He surrendered his passport and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
"This is the beginning of the ability for me to address and defend myself," Santos told reporters swarming him outside a Long Island federal courthouse. He said he has been cooperating with the investigation and vowed to fight the prosecution, which he labeled a "witch hunt."
"I have to keep fighting to defend my innocence," Santos said, "and I'm going to do that."
Prosecutors allege Santos created a company and used the donated funds for personal expenses, including designer clothes and credit card and car payments.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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