Why was former Rep. George Santos in prison? What to know as Trump commutes sentence.

President Donald Trump commuted former U.S. Representative George Santos' more than seven-year prison sentence for fraud and identity theft on Friday evening and said that Santos would be freed immediately.

"George Santos was somewhat of a 'rogue,' but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison," Trump said on Truth Social.

"Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY," he added.

Only days before, Santos published an open letter from prison pleading for the president to free him and asking for a "chance to rebuild."

"Mr. President, I have nowhere else to turn. You have always been a man of second chances, a leader who believes in redemption and renewal. I am asking you now, from the depths of my heart, to extend that same belief to me," Santos wrote.

Here is what to know about Santos’ past conviction.

Why was George Santos in prison?

Santos surrendered to federal authorities at the Federal Correctional Institution Flatiron Satellite Camp in New Jersey on July 25 to begin serving his seven-year and three-month prison sentence after being found guilty back in April of wire fraud and identity theft by a federal judge.

Apart from the prison time, Santos was also ordered to pay more than $370,000 in restitution and forfeit another $200,000.

"Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days," Santos wrote in a post on X, hours before surrendering to authorities.

The former congressman pled guilty to federal charges back in August 2024, where he admitted to filing false campaign finance reports, charging donors’ credit cards without authorization and fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits, among other acts that began years before he ran for Congress.

A House ethics investigation found he had "sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit."

Reuters and USA TODAY’s Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.