Benzinga - by Chris Katje, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Former New York Rep. George Santos became only the sixth Congress member to ever be expelled.
The event happened after months of allegations of lying and federal charges brought against the Republican. Since leaving office, Santos has made his services available on Cameo, where he is earning six-figures.
What Happened: Santos recently started sharing videos to people who pay a fee through the celebrity video website Cameo. Santos is listed as a "former Congressional icon" on the site.
Santos has had hundreds of Cameos requested, including some that were made for late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. The host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," which airs on Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) owned ABC sent in anonymous requests to Santos on Cameo.
Kimmel told viewers he sent in fake stories to see if Santos would read them as Cameos in a segment he called, "Will Santos Say It?" as shared by The Hollywood Reporter.
The late-night talk show host has aired several of the videos since the Cameos were made. Santos isn't too pleased since learning of the development.
Kimmel, who said he has a "big stockpile" of Santos Cameos, said the former Congressman is demanding $20,000 since the Cameos were aired on the late-night show.
"Can you imagine if I get sued by George Santos for fraud? How good would that be? It would be like a dream come true," Kimmel said, a likely reference to fraud allegations against Santos.
Santos was originally charging $75 on Cameo before raising his price to $200 and to the current $500.
"He should be thanking me for buying these videos," Kimmel added.
Related Link: Congressman-Elect George Santos Lies — A Lot: 6 Fibs And Counting For This Republican Rep.
Why It's Important: Santos recently shared that he is making more on Cameo than he did while in Congress.
"I can tell you that by the end of this week, that is actually factual. I will have made more money in seven days than I would have made an entire year in Congress," Santos said on an episode of "The Point."
When asked again if the amount was more than the $174,000 Congressional salary, Santos said "Yes, ma'am."
Santos recently tweeted that in eight days on Cameo he has hit the milestone of 700 videos. Some of those videos were likely made at the lower $75 and $200 price points. The price eventually shot up to $500 per video.
In an interview with Semafor, Cameo cofounder Steven Galanis said Santos "is going to be an absolute whale" on the site due to strong demand.
Read Next: George Santos Says Likely Expulsion Is ‘A Badge Of Honor,' Accuses Colleagues Of Sleeping With Lobbyists In Unhinged Rant: ‘Where Are The Ethics Investigations?'
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