Scandal-plagued Rep.-elect George Santos (R-NY), who fabricated every single major detail of his life story during his run for political office, is also a wanted criminal in Brazil, where in the past he confessed to using a stolen checkbook to illegally buy hundreds of dollars of merchandise at a clothing boutique.
CNN this week reached out to Bruno Simões, a former Brazilian shop clerk who had to pay restitution to his employer after he accepted checks that were forged by Santos to pay for the merchandise.
Simões tells CNN that Santos is different from other criminals he has encountered in his home country, in that he relies on charm rather than brute force to rob people.
"You’re not going to be suspicious of someone who is well-spoken, educated, gentile," he explained. "He sort of disarms people with those skills so that he can execute those frauds."
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Simões also told CNN that, even though Santos confessed his crime, he never reached out to him to discuss paying him back for the money he had to pay to his employer on Santos' behalf.
“Some people make mistakes and regret them, and others seem to never regret and end up living their whole lives as a fraud. I believe that is the case with George,” he said. “Honestly, I think the chances of me getting this money back is very low."
The former shop clerk also said voters in New York shouldn't feel too bad about being hoodwinked by Santos, on the grounds that he's a "professional liar."
