The FBI is investigating embattled New York Rep. George Santos for stealing $3,000 from the GoFundMe campaign for a homeless Navy veteran's dying dog.

According to Politico, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York contacted the disabled veteran Richard Osthoff this week.

Osthoff accused Santos of stealing a GoFundMe money worth $3,000 raised for his cancer-stricken dog. The money was supposed to be used to pay for a lifesaving surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his pit bull mix dog named Sapphire.

According to the Daily Mail, the New York representative allegedly refused to hand over the funds, resulting in the death of Osthoff's dog.

Osthoff said Sapphire died on January 15, 2017, and he even could not afford the dog's euthanasia and cremation after being out of work with a broken leg for more than a year.

The reports said Osthoff handed FBI agents text messages between him and a man named "Anthony Devolder."

Santos used the name Anthony Devolder years before he entered the political arena, and he has a pet charity called Friends of Pets United. Osthoff claimed that Santos' alleged ruse delayed the procedure that could have saved his dog's life.

Osthoff confirmed that he received a call from the FBI, with sources familiar with the matter also confirming the nature of the investigation.

The Navy veteran told ABC News that he was "glad to get the ball rolling with the big-wigs" as he talked about the FBI's involvement. He added that he was worried that what happened to him was too long ago to be prosecuted.

A spokesperson for GoFundMe said the company would cooperate with any investigations. However, they did not comment on any specifics.

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George Santos Took $3,000 From Veteran's Dying Dog's GoFundMe

According to the Patch, Richard Osthoff was living in a tent in an abandoned chicken coop on the side of Route 9 in New Jersey with his dog Sapphire in May 2016.

A veteran's charity gave the dog to Osthoff, a disabled veteran honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 2002.

Osthoff told the outlet that he learned that his dog had developed a life-threatening stomach tumor and that the surgery would cost $3,000.

The veterinary technician told the disabled veteran they knew someone who could help, referring to Anthony -Devolder and his pet charity.

Osthoff noted that Santos promised to raise funds for the lifesaving surgery for his service dog. He said Santos closed the GoFundMe page he set up for Sapphire after it raised $3,000 on social media and disappeared.

The veteran noted that Santos stopped taking his calls and texts. Another New Jersey veteran and retired police Sgt. Michael Boll helped Osthoff contact Santos.

Boll told Santos he needed to give back the money or use it "to get Oshtoff another dog." Boll said Santos was "totally uncooperative on the phone," adding that the now New York representative told him he planned to use the money to help other animals.

The retired Marine Corps veteran noted that he could not do that as the money was specifically raised for Osthoff and his service dog Sapphire. 

Santos created a Facebook group for charity around 2015, wherein group members shared images of dogs who needed foster homes or donations.

Barbara Hurdas, who met Santos when she worked with him at Dish Network, said the Facebook group was archived around 2020.

Osthoff managed to get a new service dog after Sapphire died. The New York Times reported in December that the nonprofit was unregistered.

George Santos Controversy

George Santos stepped down from his committee assignments on Tuesday. He told his colleagues that he wanted to avoid being a "distraction" to the caucus. 

He informed his colleagues about his decision to step aside temporarily until his name was cleared during a closed-door meeting.

He also apologized to fellow Republican lawmakers for being a "distraction," according to BBC News. The New York representative has admitted to fabricating portions of his resume and biography.

But despite the controversy, Santos was assigned to serve on two committees. The move means he will not sit on the small business committee or the science, space, and technology panel. 

Santos is currently facing several investigations regarding his campaign spending and financial reports.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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