Santos says he will pay restitution if required by law

Newly-pardoned former U.S. Representative George Santos, R-N.Y., who pleaded guilty last year to federal charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and ordered to pay restitution.

He was pardoned by President Trump on Friday. 

The court had ordered him to serve more than seven years in prison and pay nearly $374,000 in restitution plus around $205,000 in forfeiture. 

Santos had served only about 84 days before the pardon. 

Santos declared that he would pay restitution only if legally required. 

“If it’s required of me by the law, yes. If it’s not, then no,” he said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday in an interview following his release.