Rep. George Santos' former campaign treasurer Nancy Marks pleads guilty to felony
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - The former treasurer to embattled Congressman George Santos became the first to fall from his camp.
Thursday, Nancy Marks told a federal judge she knowingly filed false reports so Santos could gain financial support from the Republican National Committee.
Marks, the obscure bookkeeper at the center of the Santos fiasco, pleaded guilty to a felony in federal court in Central Islip. Her attorney says she was duped by the congressman.
"She meets him, and with lies and manipulations, playing on her weaknesses, she had to admit to these crimes today. What he did to her was mentally seduce," defense attorney Raymond Perini said.
Marks admitted conspiracy to defraud the federal government, wire fraud, identity theft and falsifying records alongside Santos, she claims, to manipulate his financial benchmarks to qualify for funding from the Republican National Committee
"Do you expect that she will she testify against George Santos?" CBS New York's Jennifer McLogan asked.
"If we get a subpoena, we'll do the right thing," Perini said.
Marks served on more than 150 Republican campaigns over her career. Her firm, Campaigns Unlimited, which is registered out of her Shirley home, collected more than $2 million from past state, local and congressional races.
"I'm totally against this guy, and her," one constituent said.
"And they are stealing from us," another constituent said.
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"She's a thief. She's going to go to jail," another person said.
"We deserve better," another person said.
When reached by phone Thursday, Santos had no comment, but in the past, he threw Marks under the bus, blaming her for his federal indictment.
In May, Santos pleaded not guilty to allegations of fundraising schemes ripping off political donors, money laundering. His attorney left Thursday's proceedings without comment.
"Disbursements the Santos campaign was reporting were just improbable on their face, such as $199.99 for stays at hotels," said Shanna Ports, with the Campaign Legal Center, Washington, D.C. 605.
Marks is out on $100,000 bail and faces up to five years in prison. Her attorney says she was a loyal Republican fundraiser.