George Santos got to change his bail conditions so it's easier to dine out and go shopping
Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images
- George Santos needs to tell authorities whenever he wants to travel outside of New York or DC.
- His lawyer says that requirement makes it cumbersome to go shopping and dine out.
- A judge let him his bail conditions ahead of his criminal trial to make things easier.
A federal judge modified the bail conditions of New York Rep. George Santos to make it easier for him to go shopping and dine out in restaurants.
The Republican congressman is allowed to stay out of jail ahead of an expected trial on a 13-count federal indictment accusing him of wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds.
Santos's bond conditions allow him to travel freely between New York and Washington, DC. But he's required to give a heads-up to prosecutors and pretrial services if he wants to travel anywhere else.
In a Wednesday morning court filing, his lawyer, Joseph Murray, asked the judge overseeing his case to expand the area Santos is allowed to travel "to include a thirty-mile radius around the District of Columbia" so that he doesn't have to give "unnecessary notifications" to authorities.
Doing so, Murray wrote in the filing, would make it easier for Santos to live his life.
"In light of the small geographical area of the District of Columbia, there is a frequent need to travel outside the District of Columbia for usual and customary functions of someone who lives and works in the District of Columbia, such as dining, shopping, meetings, events, and even use of the local airports," Murray wrote.
Prosecutors don't oppose the proposed bail modification, Murray wrote in the letter. US Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields granted the request on Wednesday afternoon.
Federal prosecutors in New York say Santos stole donations to his Long Island congressional campaign operation, illegally took pandemic employment funds, and lied to Congress on financial disclosure documents. He's pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Santos's $500,000 bond has been the subject of much drama as he fought to keep secret the identities of two people guaranteeing the money.
The judge overseeing the case revealed their identities as his father and aunt. A third promised guarantor, whose identity remains unknown, opted not to sign the bond.
This article has been updated.