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George santos-brokered superyacht deal between donors draws scrutiny: report.

Lying Long Island GOP Rep. George Santos helped broker a $19 million deal for a lavish superyacht between two of his wealthiest donors weeks before last November’s election — a sale which has drawn the attention of federal and local investigators, according to a new report .

Santos, 34, helped Long Island car dealer Raymond Tantillo purchase the 141-foot boat from Mayra Ruiz, a Miami-based Republican donor, with a $12.25 million down payment and a further $6.5 million to be paid in installments, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

The plush yacht, the Neverland, which is docked in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., features an on-deck infinity pool and waterfall. It can also host 12 guests and seven crew members.

The transaction is being looked at by the FBI, prosecutors at the Justice Department, and the district attorney in Nassau County, which covers much of the district Santos reps in Congress.

Federal and local authorities have launched investigations into the Republican’s campaign finances and other conduct but reportedly have yet to speak with Tantillo about the exchange.

The yacht deal, which was finalized in September 2022, may have broken federal law if Santos accepted any commission in the form of campaign donations.

Santos’ self-reported net worth skyrocketed between his first and second runs for Congress, with the Republican claiming a jump in his annual income from $55,000 in 2020 to $750,000 in 2022.

A spokeswoman for Santos directed The Post to the congressman’s counsel, who did not respond to a request for comment. The FBI, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office all declined to comment.

Santos divulged in a December interview with Semafor that he previously secured several million-dollar contracts for clients involving the sale of planes or boats as head of his company, Devolder Organization.

“If you’re looking at a $20 million yacht,” he said, “my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000.”

The Daily Beast revealed in December that Tantillo and Ruiz were Devolder clients. They have donated more than $17,000 and $13,700 to Santos’ campaign, respectively.

Lawyers for both donors denied any illicit financial dealings on the part of Santos when speaking with the Times.

“I have every reason to believe that Mr. Tantillo will not be charged for anything, including the purchase of a boat or campaign contributions,” said Tantillo’s attorney.

Ruiz’s husband, John, a billionaire health care and malpractice lawyer, reportedly bought the boat in 2019 from the Italian yacht maker Mangusta for 18 million euros ($18.9 million).

On Tuesday, Santos filed paperwork to run for re-election, despite the ongoing investigations into his finances as well as a House ethics probe stemming in part from lies about his background.

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Sold: Yacht With a Waterfall. Price: $19 Million. Broker: George Santos.

Just before his House election, Mr. Santos helped two of his largest donors reach a private deal on a $19 million boat, mixing his political and personal interests.

A head-on view of the Neverland yacht in its berth in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with a lone person outside on its upper deck.

By Rebecca Davis O’Brien and William K. Rashbaum

A $19 million luxury yacht deal brokered by Representative George Santos between two of his wealthy donors has captured the attention of federal and state authorities investigating the congressman’s campaign finances and personal business dealings.

The sale, which has not been previously reported, is one of about a dozen leads being pursued by the F.B.I., the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn and the Nassau County district attorney’s office, people familiar with the investigation said.

Prosecutors and F.B.I. agents have sought in recent weeks to question the new owner of the 141-foot superyacht — Raymond Tantillo, a Long Island auto dealer — about the boat and his dealings with Mr. Santos, including his campaign fund-raising efforts.

Mr. Tantillo bought the boat from Mayra Ruiz, a Republican donor in Miami. Mr. Santos negotiated the payment — $12.25 million up front, with $6.5 million more in installments — and advised the two on the logistics of turning over the yacht, according to a person familiar with the sale, which took place a few weeks before his election in November.

It is not clear what laws, if any, may have been broken in the transaction. Several election law experts said that if the sale was designed to inject money into Mr. Santos’s campaign, it may be in violation of federal law governing caps on campaign contributions. It could also be illegal if Mr. Santos tied any commission he received on the sale to previous or future donations.

But even if Mr. Santos broke no laws, the deal serves as further evidence of an emerging narrative given by people in his political orbit — that Mr. Santos seemed to use his campaign not only to win elected office but also as a networking exercise to ingratiate himself with rich donors and enrich himself from those contacts.

Mr. Santos has denied wrongdoing. Joe Murray, a lawyer representing Mr. Santos in potential criminal matters, declined to comment, as did spokesmen from the F.BI., the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn, and the Nassau County district attorney, who is working with federal authorities on the investigation.

Mr. Santos’s campaign finances and personal business dealings have been under scrutiny following revelations by The New York Times in December that Mr. Santos had fabricated or embellished most of his résumé. The Times has since reported on curious omissions in his campaign filings, an unregistered fund connected to him, and other irregularities in his finances.

A central mystery is Mr. Santos’s sudden, unexplained jump in income, and where he got the money to loan himself roughly $700,000 over the course of his 2022 campaign.

During his first bid for Congress in 2020, he reported an income of $55,000; two years later, he reported a $750,000 salary and over $1 million in dividends from his company, the Florida-based Devolder Organization, which Mr. Santos described as a “capital introduction” business.

Mr. Santos, a Republican, has said publicly that his company brokered deals between high net-worth clients. In an interview with Semafor in December, he sought to explain his work by saying that if a client wanted to sell a plane or a boat, he would “put that feeler out there” among his contacts, adding that he had landed a couple of million-dollar contracts.

“If you’re looking at a $20 million yacht,” he told Semafor, “my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000.”

As it turns out, there was, in fact, a yacht worth nearly $20 million.

In 2019, records show, John H. Ruiz, a Miami lawyer and businessman, bought a superyacht made by the Italian yacht builder Mangusta. The yacht, which was listed at the time for 18 million euros, or $20 million, sleeps 12 guests and seven crew, and featured an infinity pool, a waterfall and an outdoor shower. It was called “Namaste,” a greeting in Hindi.

Mr. Ruiz, a Coral Gables lawyer who specializes in health care and malpractice claims, gained notoriety last year when he took his data analytics company public in a reverse merger with a special purpose acquisition company. The company, MSP Recovery, briefly had a record-setting valuation of nearly $33 billion, making Mr. Ruiz a billionaire many times over.

But the stock promptly plummeted to a dollar a share and, in June 2022, he and the firm’s co-founder lent the company $113 million to plug a cash shortfall.

Mr. Ruiz did not donate to Mr. Santos’s campaign, but his wife, Mayra, was a particularly generous supporter. Campaign finance records show that on March 31, 2022, Mayra Ruiz gave $10,800 to Mr. Santos’s joint fund-raising committee. Later, she was among the first to give Mr. Santos money after he won the election.

Mr. Santos has failed to disclose any of his Devolder clients. But in December, the Tantillo Auto Group — Mr. Tantillo’s network of car dealerships on Long Island — and two organizations tied to Mr. Ruiz’s family were identified by The Daily Beast as Devolder clients. The Daily Beast quoted Mayra Ruiz saying the family had hired Devolder in early 2022, but did not provide more detail.

Ms. Ruiz did not respond to requests for comment. Christine Lugo, a lawyer for Mr. Ruiz, said her client was “not interested in making any statement other than the fact that he has already publicly disclosed that he does not know who George Santos is and has never contributed to his campaigns and has never done any business with him.”

Mr. Santos, by many accounts, mingled campaign fund-raising with personal business opportunities. Several donors have described encounters with Mr. Santos at fund-raisers in which he would describe deals he could broker with other donors in industries including insurance and pharmaceuticals, or he would tell them about donors who were seeking to sell businesses or luxury items.

Mr. Santos would offer to bring people together, with the implicit understanding that he would take a cut, they said. The pitches were often paired with requests for donations. None of the other potential arrangements described to The Times appear to have resulted in deals.

Among the donors he courted, Mr. Santos seems to have grown close to Mr. Tantillo, according to people familiar with their relationship.

Mr. Tantillo gave more than $17,000 to Mr. Santos’s campaign and affiliated committees; his estranged wife is recorded as giving at least $5,000 more, as is another ex-wife. (Contribution limits in New York congressional races in 2022 were slightly altered after a state court ruling scuttled an electoral map and forced an August primary; the Federal Election Commission held that candidates could raise additional funds.)

In August, Mr. Santos approached Mr. Tantillo with an offer to sell him the yacht. The agreement was hammered out in late September in Coral Gables, and Mr. Santos suggested moving the boat into a free-trade zone at the port, the person said.

It is common for boat sales to take place in a free-trade zone before going overseas — often, the Bahamas — and returning with a new owner, according to another person familiar with the sale and with the Miami port system.

As negotiations progressed, Mr. Santos pressed Mr. Tantillo for additional donations and financial help for his campaign and for other Republicans as Election Day drew near, the person said. Mr. Tantillo did not provide additional funds.

“I have every reason to believe that Mr. Tantillo will not be charged for anything, including the purchase of a boat or campaign contributions,” said Robert Curtis Gottlieb, a lawyer for Mr. Tantillo.

At least one other large donor was asked for a major contribution weeks before the election, The Times has reported .

After weeks of negotiations, Mr. Tantillo agreed in September 2022 to buy the yacht, according to a person familiar with the sale. The deal was brokered by Mr. Santos with Ms. Ruiz, according to emails described to The Times.

On Nov. 3, 2022, “Namaste” left for the Bahamas from its berth in West Palm Beach, Fla. Fifteen days later, port records show, the boat returned to Florida under a new flag — the Cayman Islands — a different name and a new owner.

Mr. Tantillo rechristened the boat “Neverland.”

Alexandra Berzon contributed reporting.

Rebecca Davis O'Brien covers campaign finance and money in U.S. elections. She previously worked for The Wall Street Journal, where she was part of a team that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting. More about Rebecca Davis O’Brien

William K. Rashbaum is a senior writer on the Metro desk, where he covers political and municipal corruption, courts, terrorism and law enforcement. He was a part of the team awarded the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. More about William K. Rashbaum

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George Santos brokered sale of $19 million 141-foot superyacht between two wealthy New York and Florida donors - possibly earning him a $400,000 referral fee

In September Santos brokered a deal to sell the yacht 'Namaste', then owned by Miami-based John and Mayra Ruiz, to Long Island car dealer Raymond Tantillo
Both Tantillo and Mayra Ruiz were generous donors to Santos's campaign, raising questions as to whether the donations and the deal were linked
Santos in December said he worked in 'capital introduction' : 'If you're looking at a $20m yacht, my referral fee there can be between $200,000 and $400,000'

By Harriet Alexander For Dailymail.com

Published: 21:58 EDT, 15 March 2023 | Updated: 15:35 EDT, 16 March 2023

View comments

George Santos is facing questions about his involvement in the sale of a superyacht between two campaign donors, shortly before the November election.

Santos, 34, arranged the sale in September of the 141-foot Namaste - an Italian-designed luxury yacht which sleeps 12 in five cabins, and boasts an infinity pool with a waterfall and underwater lighting.

The yacht was being sold by John Ruiz, a lawyer and billionaire businessman, and his wife Mayra, who was among Santos's biggest donors. She contributed $10,800 to Santos's joint fund-raising committee in March 2022, and was among the first to donate after he won the election.

The buyer was another big donor, Raymond Tantillo, a Long Island car dealer who gave Santos more than $17,000. Tantillo's two ex-wives also generously supported Santos's political efforts.

The sale, first reported by The New York Times , was legal, but Santos's role in it could have violated campaign finance laws if he used the proceeds for his campaign.

The 141-ft Namaste, known now as Neverland, was sold by Mayra Ruiz and bought by Raymond Tantillo - both donors to Santos's campaign

Santos is seen during the State of the Union address by Joe Biden on February 7

Raymond Tantillo (left), a Long Island car dealer, bought the yacht from Mayra Ruiz (right) and her husband John, a Miami-based lawyer and businessman

Campaign contribution caps could have been breached if the sale was designed to boost his campaign.

It could also have been illegal if Santos in any way linked his referral fee to previous or future donations.

It is unclear how much money he made from bringing the two sides together - if indeed he was paid for his services this time.

Santos has previously explained that he made a living connecting wealthy people - a job he termed 'capital introduction'.

In December, Santos told Semafor that if a client wanted to sell a plane or a boat, he would 'put that feeler out there' among his contacts.

He told the site he had sealed a couple of million-dollar contracts.

'If you're looking at a $20 million yacht, my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000,' he said.

Namaste was priced at $20 million and was changed hands in November 2022 for $18.75 million - it also had its name changed and is now called Neverland.

Namaste is pictured before its launch. It was built by Italian company Mangusta

John Ruiz's lawyer Christine Lugo told The New York Times he 'does not know who George Santos is and has never contributed to his campaigns and has never done any business with him.'

Tantillo's lawyer, Robert Curtis Gottlieb, said: 'I have every reason to believe that Mr Tantillo will not be charged for anything, including the purchase of a boat or campaign contributions.'

Santos's team have not commented on his role.

The yacht sale is just the latest in a long line of strange stories about the New York congressman, who has been found to have lied about his education, family life, career and contacts.

Santos filed paperwork on Tuesday indicating his intent to run for reelection, even as he faces calls to resign amid ongoing criminal and ethics investigations into lies he told while running for office.

The filing with the Federal Election Commission does not necessarily mean that Santos will run for a second term, but it allows his campaign committees to continue raising money, some of which could be used to pay future legal bills.

Money he raises could also be used to repay more than $700,000 that he claimed to have loaned his campaign.

The New York Republican has admitted to lying about having Jewish ancestry, a Wall Street background, college degrees and a history as a star volleyball player.

But serious questions about his finances have also surfaced — including the source of what he claimed was a quickly amassed fortune despite recent financial problems, including evictions and owing thousands of dollars in back rent.

He has referred to the fabrications as harmless embellishments of his resume.

Santos, seen on Tuesday, is facing multiple questions about his lies

Santos's Republican colleagues have turned on him. Anthony D'Esposito (center) is seen on March 7 flanked by two other New York congressmen - Nick Lalota (right) and Brandon Williams (left) - introducing a bill that prevents members of Congress from profiting from media appearances and book deals if convicted of a crime

Pressure on him to resign surfaced almost immediately after the New York Times uncovered inconsistencies in his public record. Fellow New York Republicans have demanded that he resign, saying he had betrayed voters and his own party with his lies.

In 2017, he was charged with criminal theft in Pennsylvania in connection with bad checks apparently used to buy puppies from dog breeders, according to a lawyer who said she helped the Republican with the case.

Those charges, however, were later expunged, according to the lawyer.

As a young man, he faced charges in Brazil — still unresolved — alleging that he used a fraudulent check to buy clothes.

Share or comment on this article: George Santos brokered sale of $19 million 141-foot superyacht - possibly earning $400,000 referral

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George Santos allegedly brokered $19m superyacht deal between two of his biggest donors

Superyacht sale is said to be one of around a dozen leads being explored by federal and state authorities as they continue to look into the embattled congressman’s campaign finances, article bookmarked.

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Embattled New York congressman George Santos allegedly brokered a $19m deal for a superyacht between two of his biggest donors.

Rep Santos helped Long Island car dealer Raymond Tantillo buy a luxury 141-foot superyacht from Republican donor Mayra Ruiz, according to The New York Times .

The agreed sale of the boat – dubbed the Neverland yacht – involved an initial down payment of $12.25m followed by a further $6.5m to be paid in installments.

The sale was finalised in September – just weeks before the November midterms where Mr Santos was elected to serve New York’s 3rd congressional district.

It was Mr Santos who allegedly negotiated the deal between the two parties – both of whom donated thousands to his political campaign – and advised them on the logistics of transferring ownership of the boat.

George Santos files paperwork for reelection despite months of mounting scandals

Now, the multi-million-dollar deal – and Mr Santos’ alleged role within it – has attracted the attention of federal and state investigators, the Times revealed.

Sources told the paper that prosecutors and FBI agents are now seeking to speak to Mr Tantillo about the boat sale and his overall dealings with Mr Santos.

The yacht sale is said to be one of around a dozen leads being explored by the FBI, the US attorney’s office in Brooklyn and the Nassau County district attorney’s office as they continue to look into the congressman’s campaign finances and his personal business dealings.

While the boat deal has never before been revealed, Mr Santos has spoken in the past about securing multi-million-dollar contracts – including for boats – for clients of his company Devolder Organization.

“If you’re looking at a $20 million yacht my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000,” he told Semafor in December.

George Santos allegedly negotiated deal between the two parties for the ‘Neverland’ boat

The Daily Beast previously revealed that organisations linked to Mr Tantillo and Mr Ruiz were clients of the organisation run by Mr Santos (who used to go by the name Anthony Devolder).

Mr Tantillo also donated around $17,000 and Mr Ruiz $13,700 to Mr Santos’ campaign.

It is not clear if any laws have been broken through the congressman’s involvement in the superyacht deal.

However experts told the Times that Mr Santos could have broken federal law if he accepted any commission in the form of campaign donations.

The Independent has reached out to Mr Santos’ office for comment.

His attorney Joe Murray declined to comment to the Times, as did the FBI, the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn and the Nassau County district attorney.

An attorney for Mr Ruiz told the paper that he was “not interested in making any statement other than the fact that he has already publicly disclosed that he does not know who George Santos is and has never contributed to his campaigns and has never done any business with him”.

Mr Tantillo’s attorney also denied any illicit financial dealings.

“I have every reason to believe that Mr. Tantillo will not be charged for anything, including the purchase of a boat or campaign contributions,” they told the paper.

Mr Santos’ campaign finances have fallen under scrutiny in recent months ever since he was first exposed for making a series of lies on his resume.

Since then, his list of apparent falsehoods has continued to grow and he is now the focus of criminal and ethics investigations.

Questions are also being asked about his sudden uplift in financial fortune after his self-reported annual income leaped from $55,000 in 2020 to $750,000 in 2022.

Despite the controversy, Mr Santos filed paperwork on Tuesday indicating his plans to run for reelection in the next term.

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George Santos brokered sale of $19 million 141-foot superyacht – possibly earning $400,000 referral

George Santos is facing questions about his involvement in the sale of a superyacht between two campaign donors, shortly before the November election.

Santos, 34, arranged the sale in September of the 141-foot Namaste – an Italian-designed luxury yacht which sleeps 12 in five cabins, and boasts an infinity pool with a waterfall and underwater lighting.

The yacht was being sold by John Ruiz, a lawyer and billionaire businessman, and his wife Mayra, who was among Santos’s biggest donors. She contributed $10,800 to Santos’s joint fund-raising committee in March 2022, and was among the first to donate after he won the election.

The buyer was another big donor, Raymond Tantillo, a Long Island car dealer who gave Santos more than $17,000. Tantillo’s two ex-wives also generously supported Santos’s political efforts.

The sale, first reported by The New York Times , was legal, but Santos’s role in it could have violated campaign finance laws if he used the proceeds for his campaign.

The 141-ft Namaste, known now as Neverland, was sold by Mayra Ruiz and bought by Raymond Tantillo – both donors to Santos’s campaign

Santos is seen during the State of the Union address by Joe Biden on February 7

Raymond Tantillo (left), a Long Island car dealer, bought the yacht from Mayra Ruiz (right) and her husband John, a Miami-based lawyer and businessman

Campaign contribution caps could have been breached if the sale was designed to boost his campaign.

It could also have been illegal if Santos in any way linked his referral fee to previous or future donations.

It is unclear how much money he made from bringing the two sides together – if indeed he was paid for his services this time.

Santos has previously explained that he made a living connecting wealthy people – a job he termed ‘capital introduction’.

In December, Santos told Semafor that if a client wanted to sell a plane or a boat, he would ‘put that feeler out there’ among his contacts.

He told the site he had sealed a couple of million-dollar contracts.

‘If you’re looking at a $20 million yacht, my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000,’ he said.

Namaste was priced at $20 million and was changed hands in November 2022 for $18.75 million – it also had its name changed and is now called Neverland.

Namaste is pictured before its launch. It was built by Italian company Mangusta

John Ruiz’s lawyer Christine Lugo told The New York Times he ‘does not know who George Santos is and has never contributed to his campaigns and has never done any business with him.’

Tantillo’s lawyer, Robert Curtis Gottlieb, said: ‘I have every reason to believe that Mr Tantillo will not be charged for anything, including the purchase of a boat or campaign contributions.’

Santos’s team have not commented on his role.

The yacht sale is just the latest in a long line of strange stories about the New York congressman, who has been found to have lied about his education, family life, career and contacts.

Money he raises could also be used to repay more than $700,000 that he claimed to have loaned his campaign.

The New York Republican has admitted to lying about having Jewish ancestry, a Wall Street background, college degrees and a history as a star volleyball player.

He has referred to the fabrications as harmless embellishments of his resume.

Santos, seen on Tuesday, is facing multiple questions about his lies

Santos’s Republican colleagues have turned on him. Anthony D’Esposito (center) is seen on March 7 flanked by two other New York congressmen – Nick Lalota (right) and Brandon Williams (left) – introducing a bill that prevents members of Congress from profiting from media appearances and book deals if convicted of a crime

Those charges, however, were later expunged, according to the lawyer.

As a young man, he faced charges in Brazil — still unresolved — alleging that he used a fraudulent check to buy clothes.

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George santos brokered $19m superyacht sale between donors: report, dan ladden-hall.

Breaking News Editor

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

A $19 million superyacht sale between two of Rep. George Santos ’ (R-NY) biggest donors was brokered by the congressman himself, according to The New York Times , with authorities investigating his campaign finances and business practices now looking into the deal. Auto magnate Raymond Tantillo purchased the 141-foot luxury vessel—which comes complete with an infinity pool and a waterfall—from Mayra Ruiz last November, according to a Times source. In the weeks before his election, Santos allegedly negotiated the multimillion-dollar payment and advised both parties on the logistics of transferring ownership of the boat. Election law experts say the sale could have breached campaign contribution rules if it was designed to pump cash into Santos’ campaign, but it’s not currently clear if any laws were broken. The Daily Beast first revealed that organizations linked to Tantillo and Ruiz were clients of Santos’ Devolder Organization in December, with the scandal-ridden lawmaker having previously admitted that he used money from his company to fund his campaign.

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FBI Investigates George Santos’s $19M Yacht Sale

Representative George Santos (R-NY, he/him) is under scrutiny after The New York Times reported that he facilitated the sale of a $19 million yacht between two wealthy donors in September 2022. Santos, who was previously called out for lying about his resume and background, has now attracted the attention of the FBI. His fabrications include false claims of being Jewish, the son of a 9/11 victim, a college graduate, and more. Authorities question whether or not the sale was done to accumulate funds for Santos’s political campaign, part of a larger investigation into his campaign finances. Federal law requires for candidates to “disclose any compensation in excess of $5,000 from a single source,” according to Slate Magazine. However, it has not been officially declared if any laws were broken.

The luxury yacht was sold to auto dealer Raymond Tantillo (he/him) by Mayra Ruiz (she/her), a Republican donor who had previously donated $10,800 to Santos’s campaign. Santos orchestrated the exchange. According to The New York Times , Santos asked Tantillo to make donations to his campaign during the sale, but Tantillo refused. Suspicions surround a dramatic increase in Santos’s earnings; he reported a $55,000 salary in 2020 versus a $750,000 salary in 2022.

Amid the controversies of his office, Santos has remained unfazed. He has denied allegations of illegal activity, and his attorney, Joe Murray (he/him), has declined to comment to the press. AP News reports that there is “pressure from Republicans to resign and from Democrats to be expelled from office.” Santos has not resigned but instead stepped down from his House committee assignments.

Besides the FBI investigation, a House Ethics sub-committee probe against Santos was also initiated in early March. A press release from the committee stated that it is investigating if Santos “engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign; [and] failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House,” among other questions.

According to a Slate Magazine article written by Shirin Ali, there are four disciplinary actions the House could impose on Representative Santos if the Ethics Committee concludes wrongdoing. The most severe option is expulsion, followed by censure, reprimand, and lastly, reproval.

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George Santos-brokered superyacht deal between donors draws scrutiny: report

George Santos allegedly brokered $19m superyacht deal between two rich donors

Superyacht sale is said to be one of around a dozen leads being explored by federal and state authorities as they continue to look into the embattled congressman’s campaign finances

Federal and state investigators probe Santos' role in luxury yacht sale

Federal and state investigators are probing Republican Rep. George Santos' role in the sale of a $19 million yacht involving two of his wealthy donors, according to a law enforcement official.

By Fredreka Schouten and Mark Morales, CNN Federal and state investigators are probing Republican Rep. George Santos‘ role in the sale of a $19 million yacht involving two of his wealthy donors, according to a law enforcement official. The law enforcement interest in the sale, first reported by The New York Times, underscores the far reaches of the investigations into the embattled congressman’s finances. Santos previously told Semafor he collec…

Rep. George Santos helped broker a deal between two of his wealthiest donors for a lavish $19 million superyacht weeks before his November election.

George Santos is the subject of suspicion again after the sale of a R$ 100 million yacht

The sale of a luxury yacht for US$ 19 million (about R$ 102.3 million) negotiated by Congressman George Santos between two of his richest donors caught the attention of American federal and state authorities, who investigate the campaign's finances and the congressman's personal business. Read more (03/15/2023)

Rep. George Santos was go-between in $19M mega-yacht deal for GOP donors: report

Rep. George Santos reportedly was the go-between in a $19 million mega-yacht deal between two Republican donors in the middle of his congressional campaign last year. The controversial Long Island

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Federal and state investigators probe Santos’ role in luxury yacht sale

Federal and state detectives are penetrating Republican politician Rep. George Santos’ function in the sale of a $19 million luxury yacht including 2 of his rich donors, according to a police authorities.

The police interest in the sale, initially reported by The New york city Times, highlights the far reaches of the examinations into the embattled congressman’s financial resources. Santos formerly informed Semafor he gathered recommendation costs by brokering these sorts of offers.

How Santos– who has actually lied consistently about his resume and background– acquired the cash to assist finance his Home project has actually been among the main concerns swirling around the Long Island congressman. His win in 2015 assisted Republicans get a narrow bulk in the chamber. However Santos had actually been involved in debate prior to he even went into workplace and is the topic of state and federal probes into his financial resources, in addition to a Home principles committee examination.

Santos has actually consistently rejected any misdeed. On Wednesday, his lawyer, Joe Murray, stated he might not discuss the compound of any accusations versus his customer, however stated: “I’m getting a little sick of all these examinations being dripped into the general public.”.

” It eliminates from the stability of the examination,” Murray stated.

Authorities with the Nassau County District Lawyer’s Workplace and the United States Lawyer’s Workplace for the Eastern District of New york city decreased to comment.

The New york city Times reported that district attorneys and federal representatives have actually just recently attempted to question the owner of the luxury yacht– Raymond Tantillo, a New york city vehicle dealership– about the purchase and his interactions with Santos, consisting of political contributions.

Tantillo acquired the boat from Mayra Ruiz, a GOP donor from Miami, with Santos working out the payment and assisting organize the logistics, the Times reported.

Both Ruiz and Tantillo contributed to Santos’ congressional project, federal records reveal. There is no tip that either has actually acted incorrectly.

” This is plainly an extremely extensive, extensive examination that’s under method,” Robert Curtis Gottlieb, Tantillo’s lawyer, informed CNN on Wednesday. “I have every factor to think that Mr. Tantillo will not be charged with anything concerning the boat, project contributions or anything else under the sun due to the fact that he did definitely nothing incorrect.”.

He decreased to provide additional information.

CNN likewise has actually connected to Ruiz and her spouse, John H. Ruiz, who was not amongst Santos’ political donors. The Times explained John Ruiz as a previous owner of the vessel.

In a declaration to the Times, Christine Lugo, an attorney for John Ruiz, stated he was “not thinking about making any declaration aside from the truth that he has actually currently openly revealed that he does not understand who George Santos is and has actually never ever added to his projects and has actually never ever done any service with him.”.

Among the greatest concerns about Santos centers on the monetary success that permitted the Republican to report an individual loan of $705,000 to his effective 2022 project. In Santos’ previous, stopped working quote for Congress, in 2020, his individual monetary disclosure type noted no possessions and an income of $55,000.

He has actually stated he made the cash through a company he developed, called the Devolder Company, however he has actually not noted Devolder customers on his federal monetary disclosures.

The Daily Monster has actually formerly explained entities connected to Ruiz and Tantillo as amongst the company’s customers.

In an interview last December with Semafor, Santos looked for to discuss the source of his newly found wealth, explaining Devolder as serving in the capital intro service. He stated that consisted of “offer structure” and “specialized consulting” for “high net worth people.”.

Santos informed the publication that he may serve as a go-between in between somebody looking for to offer an airplane or a boat and stated he had actually rapidly acquired “a number of million-dollar agreements” within months of developing the company.

” If you’re taking a look at a $20 million luxury yacht, my recommendation charge there can be anywhere in between $200,000 and $400,000,” he stated at the time.

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By Fredreka Schouten and Mark Morales, CNN

Federal and state investigators are probing Republican Rep. George Santos ‘ role in the sale of a $19 million yacht involving two of his wealthy donors, according to a law enforcement official.

The law enforcement interest in the sale, first reported by The New York Times , underscores the far reaches of the investigations into the embattled congressman’s finances. Santos previously told Semafor he collected referral fees by brokering these sorts of deals.

How Santos — who has lied repeatedly about his resume and background — obtained the money to help underwrite his House campaign has been one of the central questions swirling around the Long Island congressman. His win last year helped Republicans obtain a narrow majority in the chamber. But Santos had been embroiled in controversy before he even entered office and is the subject of state and federal probes into his finances, along with a House ethics committee investigation.

Santos has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. On Wednesday, his attorney, Joe Murray, said he could not comment on the substance of any allegations against his client, but said: “I’m getting a little tired of all these investigations being leaked into the public.”

“It takes away from the integrity of the investigation,” Murray said.

Officials with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York declined to comment.

The New York Times reported that prosecutors and federal agents have recently tried to question the owner of the yacht — Raymond Tantillo, a New York auto dealer — about the purchase and his interactions with Santos, including political donations.

Tantillo purchased the boat from Mayra Ruiz, a GOP donor from Miami, with Santos negotiating the payment and helping arrange the logistics, the Times reported.

Both Ruiz and Tantillo donated to Santos’ congressional campaign, federal records show. There is no suggestion that either has acted improperly.

“This is clearly a very thorough, exhaustive investigation that’s under way,” Robert Curtis Gottlieb, Tantillo’s attorney, told CNN on Wednesday. “I have every reason to believe that Mr. Tantillo will not be charged with anything regarding the boat, campaign contributions or anything else under the sun because he did absolutely nothing wrong.”

He declined to offer further details.

CNN also has reached out to Ruiz and her husband, John H. Ruiz, who was not among Santos’ political donors. The Times described John Ruiz as a previous owner of the vessel.

In a statement to the Times, Christine Lugo, a lawyer for John Ruiz, said he was “not interested in making any statement other than the fact that he has already publicly disclosed that he does not know who George Santos is and has never contributed to his campaigns and has never done any business with him.”

One of the biggest questions about Santos centers on the financial success that allowed the Republican to report a personal loan of $705,000 to his successful 2022 campaign. In Santos’ previous, failed bid for Congress, in 2020, his personal financial disclosure form listed no assets and a salary of $55,000.

He has said he earned the money through a firm he established, called the Devolder Organization, but he has not listed Devolder clients on his federal financial disclosures.

The Daily Beast has previously described entities tied to Ruiz and Tantillo as among the firm’s clients.

In an interview last December with Semafor, Santos sought to explain the source of his newfound wealth, describing Devolder as serving in the capital introduction business. He said that included “deal building” and “specialty consulting” for “high net worth individuals.”

Santos told the publication that he might act as a go-between between someone seeking to sell a plane or a boat and said he had quickly racked up “a couple of million-dollar contracts” within months of establishing the firm.

“If you’re looking at a $20 million yacht, my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000,” he said at the time.

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