Justice Department Investigates George Santos Over Kalshi Bets on State of the Union Attendance After Trump Commuted His Sentence
Federal prosecutors are examining wagers Santos placed on a prediction market about whether he would attend President Trump’s February address. Kalshi flagged the activity to both the Justice Department and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Nbc NewsFederal prosecutors are investigating George Santos over bets he placed on the prediction market Kalshi regarding his attendance at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in February. Kalshi alerted the Justice Department after detecting that Santos had placed wagers against his own attendance, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.
The prediction market company also notified officials at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, one of the sources said.
Santos, 37, told his followers on X that he planned to attend the speech. “I’m gonna be in the gallery,” he said in a video posted on the platform. He did not attend. Santos said that “the bases of the accusation is preposterous” and that he would “comment further when appropriate” while cooperating with any inquiry.
Santos represented New York’s 3rd Congressional District from January to December 2023. He was expelled from Congress while under federal investigation. In 2024 he pleaded guilty to wire fraud, identity theft and money laundering.
He was sentenced to 87 months in prison and ordered to pay almost $374,000 in restitution and over $200,000 in forfeiture. President Trump commuted the sentence in 2025. A representative for the Justice Department did not immediately return a request for comment.
Kalshi declined to comment. A CFTC representative said the commission cannot confirm or deny any investigation. A source familiar with the agency confirmed that Santos is under investigation.
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