The Hill:

Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) denied that he has done anything “of criminal activity” on Friday in response to an allegation that he orchestrated a credit card skimming operation in 2017. 

CNN reported that Santos told reporters he is “innocent” and that he cooperated with the Secret Service, FBI and “everybody” that asked for his help in the investigation. 

“Never did anything of criminal activity, and I have no mastermind event,” he said. 

Santos’ denial comes after a man named Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha sent a sworn statement to authorities that Santos was responsible for organizing a scheme to steal ATM and credit card information. Trelha pleaded guilty to credit card fraud, served seven months in prison and was then deported back to his home country of Brazil. 

Trelha said he met Santos when he rented a room from the now-congressman in Florida. He claimed that Santos taught him how to clone ATM and credit cards, and he went to Seattle to steal the information from ATM terminals before being arrested.