Rep. George Santos hit with new charges over alleged ID theft of campaign donors and $44,000 in credit card fraud

Prosecutors said some of the stolen funds ended up in his own bank account.

The 23-count indictment supersedes an earlier indictment against the New York Republican, accusing him of misappropriating campaign funds and lying to Congress about his wealth, among other crimes.

The new charges include accusations that he used contributors’ cards to charge his campaign more than $44,000 over several months without their knowledge. In one case, prosecutors said, he charged $12,000 to a donor’s credit card and transferred “the vast majority” of the money to his personal bank account.

Santos is also accused of falsely reporting to the Federal Election Commission that he provided a $500,000 loan to the campaign in an attempt to convince Republican officials that he was a serious candidate, when he actually had less than $8,000 in his personal account .

“Santos is accused of stealing people’s identities and charging his own donor credit cards without the donor’s authorization,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. lied to the public about his campaign’s finances,” in a statement.

Santos did not immediately respond to text messages and phone messages seeking comment. He has previously denied deceiving anyone.

The new charges deepen Santos’ legal risks, and he could face a lengthy prison sentence if convicted. He has so far resisted all calls to resign, insisting he intends to run for re-election next year.

Santos’ personal and professional biography as a wealthy businessman began to unravel shortly after he won election to represent Long Island and Queens last year, revealing a tangled web of deception.

In addition to lying to voters — about his illustrious Wall Street background, Jewish heritage, academic and athletic achievements, animal rescue work, real estate holdings and more — Santos is accused of conducting numerous fraudulent schemes designed to benefit himself and mislead donors .