The veteran confronts George Santos about the death of the service dog

When the former Republican US representative George Santos went out of the Central Islip's courtroom after he was sentenced to a little more than 7 years in prison for wire fraud and identity theft, he was washed up by cameras, reporters and civilians – but a cry was under the others.

“You killed my dog, Anthony!” A man with a stick that shouted over the car was George Santos in.

For two years now, the US Navy veteran Richard Osthoff claimed that George Santos cheated him and his loved ones of $ 3,000 under his well-known alias Anthony Devolder to give his dogs a life-saving surgery. And for two years Santos has vehemently denied Press Another story.

When Osthoff's service dog Sapphire developed a fat cyst on her side in 2016, his veterinarian informed him that the operation to save her life would cost $ 3,000. Osthoff, who was homeless at the time, did not have this kind of money. The veterinary technology that worked there said that she knew about a charity organization, Friends of Pets United that could help. She got in touch with Santos, who at that time went from Anthony Devolder, who founded and headed the organization.

Santos created a gofundme called “Support Sapphire The Veteran Rescue! By Anthony Devolders”. Santos would tell later Press Despite his name, he was not the one who dealt with the Gofundme. Through donations from Osthoff's family, friends and other Marineveterans, it finally reached its goal.

Osthoff has never seen a cent. Sapphire died shortly later. “Anthony Devolders” became a ghost – until six years later he appeared on Osthoff's television screen for the congress under the name George Santos.

Osthoff brought his story into the media, but Santos almost never replied to inquiries about comments. When he was asked about it on television, he said that the story of Osthoff was fully invented.

“I've never spoken before [Osthoff]”Santos said in News in 2023.” I am sure that it didn't happen. “

“If he had hit me, his dog would have received the operation,” he said in the same year to Piers Morgan. “I never met him, I never took [sic] in this case. “

But during a room of April 27th. Press.

“This man [Osthoff]We collected money for him at the time, “said Santos.” There is a very low probability of survival for the dog and we make judgment. A decision was made and in this decision we decided to say, say: “Sorry, we can't do anything to help you.” … the money went to other animals, it would save so many other animals that could be saved with the money. ”

A report by the New York Times raises doubts about Santos' claim that the money has gone to other animals, since animal transactions and hundreds that worked with him claimed that he insisted that checks were checked to Anthony Devolders and not to friends of Pets United, and the checks that would not adhere to this request. In addition, the group was never registered as a non -profit organization.

Nevertheless, it didn't matter whether the money had gone to other animals, said Osthoff that Press – The money was expressly collected and specially collected for the operation of sapphire.

“Ninety percent of the money came from my friends, my friends, my family and my shipmade, which I served [in the Navy] With what hurts the most when he steals this money, “said Osthoff.

Santos also said: “Nobody [wanted] Touch the dog ”or take over the operation to save it.

“It is an earlier treatment,” said Santos that Press. “It is the case that nothing can be done for this dog. Veterinary technology [who connected me and Osthoff] She even said that no veterinarian would like to take on this task. “

This claim is wrong in several ways, said Osthoff. First, the mass of Sapphire was not cancer -like – it was a benign, greasy cyst. Second, he said, it was unlikely that veterinary technology said that.

“The vet for whom she works [the surgery] When we collect the money, ”he said, adding that the vet was a trustworthy source that had taken care of his dogs since his boy.

The fat cyst was never removed. It continued to grow and hung on sapphire organs.

“It wasn't even cancer,” said Osthoff. “One day she was young, the next day she has that [lipoma] On her side and then someone said that he would help me, and next the thing was a size of a football, and then I had to ask for money to put it down. “

“I had to stand in front of a home depot nearby, where I was homeless at that time, and I had to ask for money to wrestle my dog,” he said.

George Santos goes to prison nine years later. Osthoff took part in every legal proceedings. He saw Santos cried when the sentence was lowered. And he felt confirmed, he said and saw Santos felt what it was like to lose something valuable for her.

Santos plans to ask President Donald Trump to forgive. If his request is unsuccessful, he must start his prison sentence by July 25th.