Ex-aide to US Rep Santos pleads guilty to conspiracy charge

[October 06, 2023]  NEW YORK (Reuters) -The former campaign treasurer for U.S. Representative George Santos, who has been indicted on fraud charges, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a conspiracy charge for inflating his 2022 congressional campaign's fundraising numbers.    

U.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) leaves Central Islip Federal Courthouse in Central Islip, New York, U.S., May 10, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

Nancy Marks was arrested on Thursday and entered the plea in federal court in Long Island before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert, court records showed.

It was not immediately clear if Marks was cooperating with prosecutors. Her lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Santos, a Republican representing parts of Queens and Long Island, was charged in March with defrauding prospective political supporters by laundering funds to pay for his personal expenses and illegally receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed.

The 35-year-old political newcomer has pleaded not guilty and resisted calls to resign for lying about his resume. He is free on $500,000 bail.

Marks told the Federal Election Commission in a Jan. 31 filing that she had resigned as Santos' campaign treasurer.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; editing by Rami Ayyub and Bill Berkrot)

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