George Santos accepts deal in Brazilian check fraud case

New York Republican previously denied committing any crimes in Brazil

Embattled New York Representative George Santos has reached an agreement to settle a years-old criminal case against him in Brazil, according to a report from CNN.

Mr Santos reportedly reached the deal with Brazilian prosecutors, under which he will formally confess to check fraud and pay restitution.

The freshman GOP lawmaker is accused of stealing a checkbook from an elderly person who his mother was caring for in 2010. He later admitted to forging checks from that checkbook to purchase items, including clothing and shoes.

A petition from his Brazilian attorney asks to arrange a non-prosecution agreement, citing Mr Santos’ employment as a US lawmaker and calling him “re-socialised”.

Last year, he told the New York Post he had never been charged with a crime in Brazil.

“I am not a criminal here – not here or in Brazil or any jurisdiction in the world. Absolutely not. That didn’t happen”.

That statement was not true.

Brazilian authorities re-opened the fraud case against him in January after they discovered that Mr Santos — who’d left the country after being charged — had surfaced in the US.