The names of the individuals who guaranteed New York Republican Rep. George Santos’ $500,000 release bond in his criminal fraud case must be revealed, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
However, Santos, who was indicted in May on several financial crimes, has until 12 p.m. Friday to appeal the decision, U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Shields ordered.
Shields originally agreed to keep the cosigners’ name out of public court records at Santos’ arraignment, which Santos’ lawyer, Joseph Murray, requested. Shields reversed that decision in her ruling Tuesday.
The move was a win for news outlets, including The Associated Press and The New York Times, who petitioned Shields last week to unseal the names, citing a need for “the greatest transparency possible.”
Shields’ decision also comes a day after Murray said that the New York Republican would risk going to jail to protect the identities of his cosigners and suggested that they would “suffer great distress,” including job losses and physical harm, if they’re made known to the public.
“My client would rather surrender to pretrial detainment than subject these suretors to what will inevitably come,” said Murray.
Santos faces seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of lying to the House of Representatives. He pleaded not guilty during his May arraignment. He is due back in court June 30.
Despite his legal troubles, Santos has defied calls to resign and has said he won’t drop his reelection bid for a second term in Congress.
Contributing The Associated Press
