Exclusive: 'Deal with the Devil': Santos Expresses Regret Over Plea Agreement Before Prison

Santos reveals all in extensive final interview before reporting to prison

Catch the Final, final, pre-jail interview with former Rep. George Santos on “Sources Say” on The Political Voices Network, live at 2p ET.

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THE POCONOS _ Two days before George Santos reports to prison, the expelled congressman's regrets about his plea deal are becoming clearer. In an interview on my new podcast "Sources Say with Juliegrace," Santos delivered his most candid assessment yet of the plea deal that will send him away for 87-months — regrets not pushing for trial.

"I took a deal with the f***ing devil," Santos said. "This would have been a worst-case scenario at trial. What I got, I should have gone to trial."

The former New York representative came under fire for fabricating his resume, lying about performing drag, claiming to be a volleyball star, and inventing employment at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, ultimately leading to his expulsion from the House of Representatives. He will report to federal prison on July 25th after pleading guilty last August to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

But Santos insists money, not guilt, drove his decision to accept the plea agreement. 

"The reason I didn't go to trial is I didn't have money. I ran out of money. I still owe my attorneys money after I spent every last dime I had," he said. 

Santos argues he's receiving harsher treatment than other members of Congress caught in similar scandals. He pointed to former Rep. Aaron Schock, who also avoided prison time after allegations of misspending campaign funds on a Downton Abbey-themed office renovation.

"If the same exact application of the law that was applied to me were applied to other members of Congress... none of them were indicted criminally. They paid fines, restitution and resigned," Santos said. 

He compared his seven-year sentence to former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., whose crimes were "absolutely insane, number wise and crime-wise, and he only got three years and served half of that."

When pressed about accusations that he shows no remorse, Santos became emotional. "Of course I'm remorseful. Of course I regret it," he said. "Only those who are with me on a day-to-day basis know how much I sit back and I sometimes cry myself to sleep."

He attributed his downfall to blind ambition rather than malicious intent. 

"I was blinded by ambition, and I did so much stupid stuff in the name of what, becoming a congressman? It's not even that cool,” he continued

Santos also claimed both Democrats and Republicans have told him privately that his plea deal was unusually harsh. "Members of Congress, because I've spoken to both, they both agree that I took the worst plea deal they've ever heard of in their lives," he said.

Beyond the sentence itself, Santos expressed frustration about his inability to maintain any outside presence to provide income for his family while incarcerated.

 "I asked if I can have an accommodation so I can have a tablet so I can have the ability to continue writing," he said. "I have employers who said we will still welcome your writing, your publications and keep you gainfully employed so you can support your family, because we know you're the main source of income. But every request and accommodation I've asked for has essentially been denied."

He compared his situation unfavorably to other high-profile inmates: "I'm not Martha Stewart, so I can't—I mean, she took crochet needles into prison, and that was allowed, those are weapons. For crying out loud, I can't take a tablet." 

Santos also expressed surprise at his prison assignment: "It's not the type of facility you would expect somebody like me to go to. You would expect to see me go to a place a lot more chill, right? They're putting me in somewhere the opposite."

He also accused his former treasurer Nancy Marks, who cooperated with prosecutors, of being the true mastermind behind the wire fraud scheme. He said Marks was involved an $11 million money laundering scheme in a 2020 congressional race, as evidence that she was scofflaw and not him.

In a recent thread on X.com, he accused Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Harris and FBI agents of conspiring to mislead the judge by falsely portraying him as the mastermind behind the fraud scheme.

"The DOJ and FBI knew of this and still pinned on me that I was the leader and organizer because Nancy Marks was just an 'underling' of mine!" Santos tweeted. "They deceived the judge of the true nature of Marks and led the judge to believe I was the menace behind all the conduct."

Santos questioned why prosecutors didn't pursue charges against Marks, and her clients, concluding: "I guess only George Santos is interesting since I flipped a seat in NYC!"

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York did not respond to requests for comment about Santos' allegations, which could not be independently verified.

As Santos prepares to trade his freedom for a federal prison cell, his latest claims add another chapter to his ongoing saga. When Santos was sentenced earlier this year, officials made clear their view of his conduct. 

"Today, George Santos was finally held accountable for the mountain of lies, theft, and fraud he perpetrated," said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham, famous for his 2023 investigation into the origins of the federal Trump-Russia investigation. 

FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia said Santos "betrayed the public's trust and violated our democratic systems," while Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly called him "a weaver of lies who believed he was above the law."

With just 48 hours left as a free man, Santos heads to prison still questioning whether he received fair treatment—even as he admits to some of the crimes that put him there.

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