George Santos
A fabulist congressman whose brief tenure in the House of Representatives was overshadowed by a spectacular web of fabricated personal and professional claims.
Born 1988 (age 38)·American politician and convicted felon·Birthday: July 22·Millennials
Biography
George Santos's political rise and fall was one of the most bizarre episodes in modern American politics. Elected to represent New York's 3rd district in 2022, his victory was quickly engulfed by investigative reporting that unraveled the biography he had sold to voters. It was revealed that claims of a Wall Street career, college volleyball stardom, Jewish heritage, and charitable work were largely invented. What followed was a months-long spectacle of shifting explanations, federal indictments, and fierce resistance to resignation from his Republican colleagues. Santos became a fixture on talk shows, often leaning into his notoriety with a defiant, performative demeanor. His political career ended not at the ballot box but by a historic expulsion from Congress, a rare action taken after a damning House Ethics Committee report and multiple criminal convictions related to fraud and misuse of campaign funds.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
George was born in 1988, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1988
#1 Movie
Rain Man
Best Picture
Rain Man
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1988Born
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1993Started school
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2001Became a teenager
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Could drive
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2006Could vote
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Turned 21
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2018Turned 30
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 38 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2022.
- Became one of only six members in U.S. history to be expelled from the House of Representatives.
- Flipped a New York congressional district that had been held by a Democrat.
Did You Know?
He was the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress as a non-incumbent.
He has been charged under multiple federal indictments, including for alleged fraud related to COVID-19 unemployment benefits.
He claimed to have been a producer on the Broadway musical 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,' which was false.
He legally changed his last name from Devolder to Santos in 2022.
““I am not a criminal. I’m not a fraud. I’m not a liar. I’m not a thief.””
