CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CN) — Nancy Marks, who worked as treasurer for U.S. Representative George Santos, pleaded guilty Thursday to one felony count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and admitted to making false statements, obstructing the administration of the Federal Election Commission and committing aggravated identity theft.
Marks, 58, appeared in court in Central Islip on Long Island, where she spent decades as a political operative and bookkeeper for multiple candidates, in front of U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert. Under the plea deal, she faces up to four years in prison.
“With today’s guilty plea, Marks has admitted that she conspired with a congressional candidate to lie to the FEC and, by extension, the public about the financial state of the candidate’s campaign for New York City’s Third Congressional District, falsely inflating the campaign’s reported receipts with non-existent contributions and loans,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said in a statement.
In charging Marks, federal agents described a scheme intended to ensure Santos and his campaign qualified for a program administered by the National Party Committee, which in turn would provide financial and logistical support. To qualify, Santos had to demonstrate, among other things, that his congressional campaign had raised at least $250,000 from third-party contributors in a single quarter.
According to a criminal information filing, Marks and Santos agreed to falsely report campaign donations from at least 10 family members of Marks and Santos, knowing the relatives had not actually donated the money, and falsely claim Santos had loaned the campaign significant sums on money, including a $500,000 loan, when he did not make those loans nor have the funds to do so.
“Marks engaged in criminal conduct intended to deceive and defraud the American public. This guilty plea holds her responsible for those various fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge James Smith, said in a statement. “The FBI will continue to investigate all allegations of campaign finance abuse to ensure openness, fairness and transparency in our election process.”
Santos was indicted and charged in May with 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, stealing public funds and lying on federal disclosure forms. He has pleaded not guilty. Among other allegations, the lawmaker is accused of pocketing $50,000 in political donations from an unregistered nonprofit.
Marks left the Santos campaign in January, a month after it came out that he lied about parts of his life story, including fabricating his educational and work history and family background.
The congressman has denied any involvement in his campaign’s finances and says Marks was responsible for all filings.
In addition to managing finances for Santos, Marks previously worked for John Flanagan, a former state senator and majority leader, and Lee Zeldin, a former congressman who ran and lost against Governor Kathy Hochul in last year's race.
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