A disabled Navy veteran who says George Santos swindled him tore into President Donald Trump after the president commuted the ex-congressman’s prison sentence.
Richard Osthoff, the New Jersey veteran who lost his dying service dog’s GoFundMe funds to Santos, said the decision felt like a “punch in the gut.”
“I feel the president just punched me in the gut,” Osthoff told the Daily Mail. “He essentially spit on a veteran yet again. Santos should never have been considered for this.”
Santos was freed Friday night, just three months into his seven-year sentence for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. His attorney, Joseph Murray, confirmed Santos was home with family hours after the announcement.
“God bless President Donald J. Trump, the greatest president in U.S. history!” Murray wrote on Santos’s X account late Friday.
Trump announced the commutation on Truth Social, writing, “George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison.”
The president said Santos had been “in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, horribly mistreated.” He added, “Therefore, I just signed a commutation releasing George Santos from prison immediately. Good luck George, have a great life!”
Osthoff said he was left “in shock and disbelief” that Santos, who deceived donors and stole identities to fund his campaign, was walking free, as the Daily Mail reported.
“You need at least five months or more to really feel or understand what you have done,” he said. “This was more like a vacation for him, not a prison sentence. He essentially went to Club Fed.”
Osthoff’s story dates back years before Santos entered politics. He was homeless and living in a tent with his service dog Sapphire when Santos, using the alias Anthony Devolder, promised to raise money for the dog’s life-saving surgery.
Through his group Friends of Pets United, Santos allegedly collected $3,000 on GoFundMe but never gave Osthoff the money. The dog died before the operation could be performed.
“[Santos] not only robbed me of my best friend and companion, but she was my medication,” Osthoff said. “Sapphire was dying and all I could do was watch her life snap away from her, but this guy just faded away off into the sunset with the money that could’ve kept her alive.”
Santos began his prison term in July after pleading guilty to federal wire fraud and identity theft. But his case drew sympathy from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who said the conviction was “a grave injustice.”
Greene wrote to the Justice Department claiming, “While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges.”
She thanked the president Friday night, posting, “THANK YOU President Trump for releasing George Santos!! He was unfairly treated and put in solitary confinement, which is torture!!”
For Osthoff, however, the decision was “beyond disappointing.” He said he’s now considering a civil lawsuit against Santos for emotional distress, defamation, and other charges. “He went to the media and said I was a liar, and that I was not a real veteran,” Osthoff said. “He killed my dog and he is a narcissist piece of garbage.”
Conservatives also blasted the president for commuting Santos’ sentence.
“I cannot understand or forgive the pardoning of this crooked politician just because he is a Republican. Santos belongs in jail. I say this as a Reagan Republican who voted for Trump in the last election. I am neither a never trumpet nor MAGA. This troubles me. And it matters little that Biden did far, far worse (or others with the auto pen). Moral equivalency arguments are the last bastion for the week minded to try to defend the indefensible,” one conservative said in response to the Daily Mail’s article.
“I am a huge Trump supporter, but this is wrong. Santos is an evil sleeze-bag,” another wrote.
