Feds indict paid fundraiser for Rep. George Santos for allegedly impersonating Speaker McCarthy aide

A man who was a paid run fundraiser for Rep. George Santos was indicted successful New York connected national charges related to his allegedly impersonating a apical adjutant to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy arsenic helium solicited donations for Santos.

The fundraiser, Samuel Miele, was charged with 4 counts of ligament fraud, and 1 number of aggravated individuality theft successful the indictment issued successful U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Miele's indictment comes 3 months aft the New York Republican Santos himself was criminally charged successful the aforesaid tribunal by the U.S. Attorney's Office successful Brooklyn with fraud, theft, wealth laundering and making mendacious statements.

CNBC reported successful January that Miele had made calls and sent emails to would-be donors portion claiming to beryllium Dan Meyer, McCarthy's main of staff, during the 2020 and 2022 predetermination cycles, erstwhile Miele was raising funds for Santos' House campaigns those years.

McCarthy, a California Republican, has defended Santos' close to proceed serving successful the House adjacent arsenic helium fights transgression charges.

Miele and his lawyer Kevin Marino did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected the indictment.

In a tribunal filing Wednesday, prosecutors notified 2 judges successful the Eastern District Court that the transgression cases against Santos and Miele "may beryllium presumptively related due to the fact that the facts of each lawsuit originate retired of overlapping events."

Because the cases are related, prosecutors wrote, "may beryllium appropriate" to reassign them truthful that 1 justice is handling some which "may effect successful a important savings of judicial resources and service the interests of justice."

- Additional reporting by CNBC's Kevin Breuninger and Brian Schwartz

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