Congressman George Santos' connection to an International Credit Card Fraud Investigation
Date
2/26/2023 7:06:09 AM
(MENAFN) In 2017, the United States Secret Service discovered George Santos' Florida address inside a rental car that was being used in an ATM skimming investigation. The agency then located Santos in his hometown of New York City, where they interviewed him as part of a probe into international credit card fraud. According to two sources familiar with the federal investigation, Santos voluntarily surrendered two cellphones at the Secret Service's New York field office during the interview. Although Santos' connection to the case is unclear, and the investigation is still open, he was not identified as a suspect.
This incident is the latest development in a little-known affair that began when a man Santos referred to as a "family friend" was arrested in Seattle on April 27, 2017. The case against this friend revealed an attempt to skim ATM numbers from unsuspecting tourists at the city's Pike Place Market and transmit them to Brazil for illegal use. A Seattle detective also interviewed Santos shortly after the friend's arrest, as his former Florida residence was listed as the sender address on a FedEx package found in the friend's vehicle.
During the interview with Seattle police, Santos claimed that he had no knowledge of the friend's involvement in criminal activity, according to a law enforcement source. Santos has since declined to answer questions about the case, and representatives for him did not respond to requests for comment.
The Secret Service declined to comment on the open investigation, stating that they do not confirm or comment on the existence of specific investigations. The agency is responsible for investigating crimes against the financial system that have a national scope. While Santos has not been identified as a suspect in the international credit card fraud investigation, his connection to the case raises questions about his involvement and potential implications for his political career as a congressman.
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