George Santos took unemployment for a year during the COVID pandemic despite having a $120K a year job at an investment firm, feds say

• GOP Rep. George Santos took unemployment during COVID-19 while working a $120k investment job, prosecutors say.
• Federal prosecutors allege Santos illegally received unemployment benefits while working at an investment firm.

Republican Rep. George Santos took unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic while still working an investment firm job making $120,000 annually, federal prosecutors allege.

According to court documents, Santos "applied to receive unemployment insurance benefits through the New York State Department of Labor" in June 2020. In his application, Santos "falsely claimed to have been unemployed since the week of March 22, 2020," prosecutors wrote.

Santos "certified his continued eligibility for unemployment benefits on a weekly basis" from June 19, 2020, to April 15, 2021, prosecutors alleged. In total, he received around $24,744 in unemployment, according to the court documents.

But while Santos received these benefits, he was also working as a regional director at an investment firm and "received regular deposits into his personal bank accounts as part of his Regional Director salary of approximately $120,000 per year," prosecutors said.

Santos — the embattled lawmaker who's lied repeatedly about his background and resume — turned himself in on Wednesday morning. If convicted, prosecutors said he could face up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charge. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Santos could end up facing far less time.

As a lawmaker, the New Yorker has supported the Republican Party's effort to enact tougher work requirements for other types of federal aid. Santos wanted to go even further than a recent proposal by suggesting that Americans must work 30 hours a week to receive Medicaid.

Santos and other New York Republicans ran on a tough on crime platform that helped the GOP flip four seats en route to the party's razor-thin House majority. In one ad, Santos pledged to "hol[d] criminals accountable" and "protec[t] New York families."

The now-congressman is facing 13 criminal counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds.