A Texas man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly attempting to deceive a former New York congressman, George Santos, into wiring him money under false pretenses. The accused, Hector Medina of El Paso, purportedly created a fake persona as a fixer with connections to judges in an effort to solicit funds from Santos. Medina claimed he could assist in having criminal corruption charges against Santos dropped, although there is no evidence that Santos accepted the offer.
According to federal prosecutors, Medina's scheme, as outlined in court documents, was notably less intricate than the elaborate fraud perpetrated by Santos, who was expelled from the House in December. Medina allegedly bombarded Santos with text messages and videos last summer, asserting that he could eliminate incriminating evidence against him for a fee of $900,000.
Medina, also known as Michael Soto, reportedly employed a similar tactic on other prominent individuals facing legal troubles. He admitted to authorities that he engaged in the fraudulent activities to settle $100,000 in gambling debts. If convicted of wire fraud, Medina could face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Meanwhile, Santos is confronting multiple criminal charges, including allegations of defrauding campaign donors, providing false information to Congress about his finances, collecting unemployment benefits while employed, and misusing campaign funds for personal expenses such as luxury clothing. Santos pleaded not guilty to a revised indictment in October and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference in August, with a potential prison term of up to 22 years if found guilty.
In a recent special election, Democrat Tom Suozzi emerged victorious in the race for Santos' former congressional seat. Santos did not respond to inquiries regarding Medina's arrest.
