The FBI is investigating allegations that Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., used a pretend animal charity to boost $3,000 for a disabled veteran’s cancer-stricken canine and saved the cash for himself, in response to a Wednesday report.
The previous service member, Richard Osthoff, informed POLITICO that two FBI brokers contacted him on behalf of the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace within the Jap District of New York.
FILE: Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., leaves a gathering of the Home Republican Convention on the Capitol Hill Membership on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Photos)
As first reported by Patch.com, Osthoff got here into contact with “Buddies of Pets United,” an animal charity, after he discovered it might value $3,000 for surgical procedure for his service canine, a pit bull combine named Sapphire who had developed a life-threatening abdomen tumor.
A veterinary technician had informed him they knew somebody who ran the charity that would assist increase cash. Osthoff was knowledgeable that the charity was run by Anthony Devolder, an alias Santos allegedly used for years earlier than getting into politics in 2020.
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Osthoff and one other veteran, retired police Sgt. Michael Boll, who tried to intervene to assist Osthoff in 2016, claimed a GoFundMe web page that raised the mandatory funds for the canine’s surgical procedure was shut down by Santos and that the now-congressman then disappeared with the cash.
Santos allegedly claimed the canine’s illness was untreatable after consulting with an affiliated veterinarian and that the cash would as an alternative go to his charity. Osthoff had urged to permit him to take the funds to different clinics, and Santos allegedly stopped responding.
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The canine died on Jan. 15, 2017, however Osthoff couldn’t afford the euthanasia and cremation as a result of he had been out of labor with a damaged leg for greater than a yr. Osthoff mentioned he needed to panhandle to seek out the cash to euthanize and cremate Sapphire.
Fox Information Digital has reached out to Santos’ workplace for touch upon the investigation however didn’t hear again earlier than publication. The FBI informed Fox Information Digital it may “neither affirm nor deny the existence of an investigation.”
FIE: Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., is seen within the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, January 12, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Photos)
GoFundMe informed Fox Information Digital it obtained a report of a problem with the fundraiser in late 2016. The platform’s security crew sought proof of the supply of funds from the organizer. The organizer failed to reply, resulting in the fundraiser being eliminated and the e-mail related to the account being banned.
“GoFundMe has a zero-tolerance coverage for misuse of our platform and cooperates with regulation enforcement investigations of these accused of wrongdoing,” the corporate mentioned.
The pretend charity is merely one in every of many allegations levied in opposition to Santos. The freshman Republican has confronted quite a few requires his resignation and is going through a number of investigations by prosecutors over his private and marketing campaign funds and lies about his resume and household background.
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On Tuesday, Santos mentioned he was briefly stepping down from his two congressional committees following his assembly with Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy the day prior.
Fox Information’ Landon Mion and The Related Press contributed to this report.
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