George Santos Bail Backers Finally Revealed; GOP-Led Panel Issues 30 Subpoenas Against Embattled Republican

Embattled Republican Congressman George Santos of New York narrowly escaped jail time because somebody paid his bail bond. Now, a judge ordered who his unknown backers were to be revealed after Santos lost his appeal.

Court documents revealed that it was his father, Gercino dos Santos Jr., as well as his aunt, Elma Preven, who helped bail out the embattled House Republican. The two relatives reportedly co-signed his bond, which was worth $500,000.

This led to him being released and not going to jail for a while. He will still go to trial over federal charges of fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds, according to the Associated Press.

Santos has fought to keep the names of his benefactors a secret, citing that his guarantors might face "great harm" should their names be released to the public. However, a consortium of media organizations, including the Associated Press and the New York Times, petitioned the court for the records to be unsealed as the public had the right to know.

Under the agreement, his aunt and his father would not have to pay the $500,000 upfront. However, they would be held financially liable should the congressman fail to show up on his scheduled court date.

George Santos's attorney, Joseph Murray, stated that while the identities of signatories are normally made public, the two relatives might be placed in danger because of the "media frenzy and hateful attacks" that his client constantly faces.

George Santos Accepts Court's Decision to Reveal His Backers

While Santos fought hard to keep the identities of his backers a secret, even appealing the court's decision, he said that he and his family "have made peace" with him losing that appeal. He added that "Now I pray that the judge is correct and no harm comes to them."

According to CNBC, Santos also told the media, "If the press needs comments they know where and how to find me."

Santos is currently facing 13 criminal counts, including money laundering and wire fraud. He has since pleaded "not guilty" to all of them.

GOP-Led House Panel Issues 30 Subpoenas in George Santos Probe

The decision to reveal Santos's bail backers came at a bad time for the embattled Republican, as the Republican-led House Ethics Committee has now issued dozens of subpoenas and requests for information in their probe of George Santos.

The committee has been investigating Santos since early March of this year. In its subpoena request, it stated that it was "actively working to resolve this matter in an expeditious timeframe." With this, the House Ethics Committee has now issued over 30 subpoenas and more than 40 voluntary requests for information.

NBC News noted that the request did not reveal which persons have been subpoenaed, nor the nature of the subpoenas. This is due to House and Committee rules on its confidentiality.

Among the cases that Santos is being investigated for by his fellow Congressmen include his breach of conflict-of-interest laws, his failure to properly disclose the required information in documents filed with the House, and allegations of sexual misconduct to a prospective aide.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: George Santos' father and aunt bailed him out, court docs reveal - CBS New York