Washington Examiner

George Santos, ex-aide, charged for posing as McCarthy staff member.

Former Campaign Aide Charged ‍with Wire Fraud and Identity Fraud

Rep. George Santos’s (R-NY) former campaign aide has been federally charged⁤ with ⁣wire fraud and identity fraud. The aide is accused of impersonating House Speaker‍ Kevin​ McCarthy’s (R-CA) former chief of staff‌ to solicit campaign donations.

Indictment Details

Samuel Miele, 27, ‍was indicted in documents unsealed ⁢on ⁤Wednesday. The indictment alleges that he solicited ‌donations using a fake identity from over a dozen potential contributors two years‍ ago when Santos was a candidate in his New York district.

Miele is ⁣facing four counts ⁢of wire fraud and⁤ one count⁣ of aggravated identity theft. If convicted,⁤ the latter charge ⁤carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison. Miele ⁢pleaded not guilty at‍ the arraignment on Wednesday and was released on a $150,000 ‌bond.

The indictment⁢ reveals ⁤that Miele​ claimed to be a “high-ranking aide‌ to‍ a member ⁣of the House with leadership responsibilities.” He was responsible for fraudulent fundraising emails‍ and ⁣phone calls,‌ receiving a 15%⁣ commission from ⁢successfully ‍obtained campaign⁤ contributions.

Although the documents ​did not⁣ explicitly⁢ name Santos or‌ the House aide that Miele impersonated, previous reports from the New York Times and Washington Post identified the aide ‌as Dan Meyer,⁢ McCarthy’s former chief of staff.

Confirmation and ​Response

McCarthy confirmed the reports in January, ‌stating that Miele ​was fired ‍once Santos became aware of his actions. Miele had sent emails from an account ​using McCarthy’s aide’s full name and allegedly signed the messages ​using the person’s official⁣ title, according to⁣ the indictment.

Miele’s lawyer, Kevin H. Marino, released a statement asserting his ​client’s innocence and expressing confidence in​ a complete vindication at trial.

Related ⁣Charges and Calls for Resignation

The same⁢ prosecutors who ‍filed charges against Miele also filed charges against Santos in May. Santos ⁣faces 13 ⁤counts,⁢ including money ‍laundering, wire fraud, theft of public funds, and ​false statements. He pleaded not‍ guilty and was released on ‍a $500,000 bond.

House Democrats initially sought to oust Santos in mid-May, but House Republicans secured enough votes to push the matter to the House Ethics Committee for further investigation. ‍The ‍status of the investigation ⁣remains unclear after the 60-day review period expired before Congress⁣ adjourned for its ⁣August recess.

Amidst the controversies⁢ surrounding Santos, several representatives, including New York Republicans, have called for his resignation.



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