Santos’ father, aunt were bond backers in criminal case

(NewsNation) — New York Republican U.S. Rep. George Santos’ father and aunt helped him secure bond in his criminal fraud case, according to court documents.

Elma Santos Preven is Santos’ aunt, and his father is Gercino dos Santos, the congressman told ABC News. While the court documents released Thursday revealed their names, it was the news outlet that first reported the two’s relation to Santos. Other court documents unsealed Thursday confirm this.

Santos was released on a $500,000 bond in May after he was indicted on 13 federal criminal counts accusing him of stealing from his campaign, duping donors, lying to Congress and collecting unemployment benefits. Santos pleaded not guilty.

On Tuesday, the judge in the case ordered the identities of those who backed the New York congressman’s bond to be unveiled.

According to the court order, Santos’ aunt and father did not have to put up cash or property to secure his bond, but did agree to be held responsible if he violates the terms of his release.

Santos, who represents parts of Long Island and Queens, had asked the courts to keep his bond co-signers secret, while media outlets including The New York Times and The Associated Press challenged the sealing of the records.

Santos’ lawyer, Joseph Murray, urged the judge to deny a request by news outlets to unseal the names of Santos’ bond guarantors, suggesting they could “suffer great distress,” including possible job losses and physical harm, if they’re identified publicly.

“My client would rather surrender to pretrial detainment than subject these suretors to what will inevitably come,” Murray wrote in a letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Shields.

The 34-year-old refuses to resign from his position and intends to seek a second term.

The House Ethics Committee has also been investigating Santos.

“The Committee is aware of the risks associated with dual investigations and is in communication with the Department of Justice to mitigate the potential risks while still meeting the Committee’s obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House,” the committee’s chair and ranking member said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.