The Blubber

US prosecutors have filed an array of criminal charges against embattled Representative George Santos, accusing him of accruing multiple charges on the credit cards of campaign donors.

The Department of Justice has lodged 23 charges against the Republican, including wire fraud and identity theft. This legal action builds upon an earlier indictment and additionally accuses Santos of providing false information to the Federal Election Commission.

As of now, Mr. Santos has not issued a statement regarding the developments revealed on Tuesday.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge James Smith commented in a statement, "Santos allegedly led multiple additional fraudulent criminal schemes, lying to the American public in the process." He emphasized that anyone attempting to violate the law as part of a political campaign would face consequences in the criminal justice system.

These charges extend the allegations Santos faced in May when he pleaded not guilty to 13 counts. At that time, he was accused of using campaign funds for personal expenses and illicitly claiming unemployment benefits while being employed. Santos denounced the prosecutors, characterizing the accusations as a political "witch hunt."

The new indictment contends that Santos charged over $44,000 to his campaign over several months, utilizing credit cards of contributors who were unaware of the fraud. In one instance, he allegedly charged $12,000 to a contributor's credit card, transferring the majority of that sum into his personal bank account.

Prosecutors further claim that he reported fictional loans to qualify for support from the Republican party.