NEW YORK (AP) — Disgraced former congressman George Santos has asked a New York judge to delay his sentencing on federal fraud charges until the summer so he can pay off more than half a million dollars in fines by making more episodes of his recently launched podcast “Pants on Fire."
But prosecutors, in their response Tuesday, dismissed the New York Republican's promises of a financial boon as “extremely speculative” and derided the program's title as a “tone-deaf and unrepentant reference to the crimes he committed."
They also cast doubt on his claim of having little more than $1,000 in liquid assets as they argued for the sentencing to proceed as scheduled on Feb. 7.
Prosecutors say the 36-year-old Santos has earned more than $400,000 from appearances on Cameo, the video-sharing website, and another $400,000 from a new documentary since he was expelled from the U.S. House in December 2023. Santos was just the sixth House member in the chamber’s history to be ousted by colleagues.
His earnings, prosecutors said, come on top of the roughly $174,000 taxpayer-funded salary he received during his 11-month stint on Capitol Hill.
“His letter fails to provide any accounting of his current financial condition; fails to offer any explanation of his dissipation of assets (including personal spending) in the months since his guilty plea,” prosecutors wrote.
Lawyers for Santos didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday.
Elected in 2022, Santos was a once rising Republican star for flipping a wealthy New York district covering parts of Queens and Long Island.
But his life story unraveled even before taking office, with his claims of a career at top Wall Street firms and having a college degree debunked amid questions about how he funded his campaign.
In August, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, admitting that he duped voters, deceived donors and stole the identities of nearly a dozen people, including his own family members, to make donations to his campaign.
At the time, Santos blamed ambition for clouding his judgment and said he was “flooded with deep regret.” He faces a mandatory minimum two-year sentence for the identity theft charge and a maximum of 22 years in prison.
As part of a deal negotiated with prosecutors, Santos agreed to pay nearly $580,000 in fines, including nearly $375,000 in restitution and $205,000 in forfeiture.
But on Friday, his lawyers asked the judge to postpone the sentencing until August, noting he's required to pay the forfeiture 30 days before his court date.
They said the weekly podcast he announced shortly after pleading guilty represents a “promising revenue stream," but, due to “technical and logistical impediments," wasn’t launched until Dec. 15.
“Mr. Santos now has a viable path to making meaningful progress in satisfying his obligations, requiring only additional time for the quarterly compensation structure to generate sufficient funds,” his lawyers wrote.
Prosecutors however, countered that Santos' request provides no details about the venture's predicted financial returns.
They said his compensation, based on a report from the probation department, will likely consist of 50% of net profits, to be paid within 90 days of the end of each calendar quarter — an arrangement that's “highly unlikely to net Santos enough money to satisfy his restitution and forfeiture obligations by August.”
Prosecutors also cautioned that granting the delay would “create a perverse incentive structure,” in which defendants who capitalized on their "notoriety and criminality" were rewarded.
“Put differently, allowing Santos to stave off sentencing specifically to monetize his infamy would send a message to the public that crime pays,” they wrote.
FILE - Former U.S. Rep. George Santos arrives at court in Central Islip, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Interior lighting aimed at reducing motion sickness. Shiny holographic dashboards displayed on windshields. And AI-powered voice assistants paired with infotainment systems to keep you company on long drives.
Automakers pulled out all the stops to showcase their latest advances for in-vehicle experiences at CES, the Consumer Technology Association’s annual trade show of all things tech, in Las Vegas this week. Hyundai Mobis unveiled a full-windshield holographic technology, while BMW spotlighted its new “iDrive” panoramic display. And Honda and Sony Honda Mobility showed what consumers can expect with their upcoming electric vehicles.
Many of these driving enhancements aim to “make life on board more comfortable,” explains Axel Maschka, executive vice president and head of the business division at Hyundai Mobis. And for some consumers today, he adds, “this ‘living space’" of a car's interior has become a dominant part of a vehicle's appeal.
Hyundai Mobis' holographic windshield display provides a glimpse into that. The technology, which won't be on the market for at least several more years, projects information ranging from driving speed to safety alerts across the entire windshield, and also provides some entertainment options for those who aren’t behind the wheel. To keep the driver's eyes on the road, the panoramic display looks different depending on where you sit. A demo from the South Korean company show the front row passenger can watch a movie or play a video game projected ahead of them, for example, but it's not visible to the driver.
Maschka claims the holographic windshield gives drivers an easier view of key information in their line of sight and keeps other distractions in the car out of sight.
And Hyundai Mobis isn't the only one giving the view from cars' front seats a makeover. BMW also showed off its new Panoramic iDrive and Operating System X this week.
BMW's iDrive will soon be featured in all of new models that will hit the market starting at the end of this year. The system projects a panoramic display onto the vehicles' lower windscreen — controlled by a touchscreen below and voice commands — and can be personalized by different colors, apps and other preferences.
Honda and Sony Honda Mobility also spotlighted in-cabin features that drivers will soon encounter in their new EV lineup.
Sony Honda Mobility says “Afeela 1" will include an interactive AI-powered voice agent. In Monday's remarks, CEO Yasuhide Mizuno said that “customers can be entertained by communicating with Afeela 1” — noting that Afeela's agent is “focused on conversation” and “proactively talks to you” to provide useful information as you drive.
The Afeela 1, scheduled to go on sale later this year with deliveries anticipated for mid-2026, also touts a panoramic screen and infotainment system filled with a variety of entertainment apps. Online reservations for the car opened in California this week.
Meanwhile, Honda spotlighted “ultra-personal optimization” for customers of its upcoming 0 series of election vehicles — the first two models of which are set to launch in North America next year. The Japanese car giant unveiled the operating system that it plans to use in all 0 series models, “AISMO OS,” which it says will be integrated into vehicle operations ranging from automated driving and advanced driver assistance to in-car infotainment.
In-vehicle software functions will also continue to be updated after purchase. “The more it is used, the more personalized it will become,” Katsushi Inoue, global head of electrification business development at Honda, said in Tuesday remarks.
While there's ample excitement around the latest bells and whistles announced from car companies like those on display at CES this week, questions also emerged about how many new features are too many features.
“It’s definitely easy to get a little bit overwhelmed by the amount of technology in cars ... especially when you have cars that have three, four, five (or) six different touchscreens that offer different interfaces,” said Tim Stevens, an automotive analyst and freelance journalist who attended CES this week.
But, Stevens added, this also shows how promising the integration of technology like AI can be — such as with in-car voice assistants. If you can “have a conversation with your car” to ask for detailed directions or restaurant suggestions, he explains, that can reduce distractions like trying to reach for your phone.
In addition to in-vehicle experiences, EVs showcased at CES this week also put a spotlight on the state of sustainable energy in the car industry today — and the need to expand access sources for consumers. In addition to a previously-announced venture with seven other automakers to create the “IONNA” charging network in North America, Honda on Tuesday said it plans to expand such efforts “to ensure that Honda 0 Series owners will have access to more than 100,000 charging stations by 2030.”
Honda is also exploring ways to provide “personalized” charging experiences for its EV customers down the road. The company said it's considering incorporating AI technology from Amazon Web Services to help individuals find nearby charging facilities, for example, or simplify payments.
AP Video Journalist Cassandra Allwood contributed to this report in Las Vegas.
People look at a Pierce Volterra electric fire truck at the Oshkosh booth during the CES tech show, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A GlocalMe KeyTracker for Pet is displayed on a stuffed animal at a GlocalMe booth during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
People attend the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
The Segway Xyber e-bike sits on display during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
The Segway Xafari, right and Xyber e-bikes sit on display during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A BMW M5 Touring is displayed at a BMW booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The Honda 0 SUV, right, and Honda 0 Saloon EV prototypes are on display at the Honda booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A Holographic Windshield display is projected on the windshield of a car at the Hyundai Mobis booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
People demonstrate Human-Centric Interior Lighting at the Hyundai Mobis booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A Holographic Windshield display exhibit is on display at the Hyundai Mobis booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
People view exhibits at the Hyundai Mobis booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
People look at a prototype solar electric vehicle by Aptera Motors during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A screen showing the new BMW panoramic iDrive is displayed during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
A Sony Honda Mobility is displayed at a Sony booth during the CES tech show, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
A BMW Neue Klasse X is displayed at a BMW booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The Honda 0 SUV, right, and Honda 0 Saloon EV prototypes are on display at the Honda booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A Holographic Windshield display is projected on the windshield of a car at the Hyundai Mobis booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A screen showing the new BMW panoramic iDrive is displayed during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
