Indicted George Santos aide is seeking a plea deal: Court docs

An aide to Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) who was charged on allegations he impersonated House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s former chief of staff is in plea negotiations that are likely to resolve the case before it goes to trial, according to court documents obtained by CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane.

Samuel Miele was charged with four counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in an indictment that was unsealed last week.

"Government and the defendant stipulate that they are engaged in plea negotiations, which they believe are likely to result in a disposition of this case without the need for a trial," the court filings said.

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Miele was released on $150,000 bond after pleading not guilty at his arraignment on the morning of Aug. 16 in Brooklyn federal court, The New York Times reports.

Prosecutors allege Miele sent “fraudulent fund-raising” emails to people soliciting contributions to an unnamed candidate in which he claimed to be a “high-ranking aide to a member of the House with leadership responsibilities,” according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges Miele got a cut of the funds he raised.

“Through this fraudulent scheme, the defendant Samuel Miele solicited contributions for the campaign from more than one dozen potential contributors,” the indictment said. “Where successfully raised, these contributions were transferred, through an intermediary service, into the campaign’s bank account... . For his efforts, Miele received a commission of 15 percent of each contribution.”