George Santos now says he was a teen fashion model and posts photos to prove it

Disgraced, scandal-hit former lawmaker George Santos continues to add to his glittering résumé. Over the weekend, the 35-year-old posted a couple of throwback photos. He said they were him at 18 when he did some modeling.

Young me did something called “looks modeling”…

Age 18 in these.

Fun times, but looking back I can say I was being constantly sexually harassed and I didn’t realize it. I was naive and young and didn’t see malice in any of it. Now when I look back it haunts me and I wish I… pic.twitter.com/k3kLFw3sev— George Santos (@MrSantosNY) April 13, 2024

Santos accompanied the photos with a warning.

“Young me did something called ‘looks modeling’… Age 18 in these.

“Fun times, but looking back I can say I was being constantly sexually harassed and I didn’t realize it. I was naive and young and didn’t see malice in any of it. Now when I look back it haunts me and I wish I could remember all of the peoples names and faces.

“It’s a very dark industry and I caution parents of young kids and teens to be very present in these entertainment/fashion type environments.”

The internet responds

Santos is not wrong to advise caution to youngsters when it comes to modeling. There have been plenty of stories about predatory people in the modeling industry.

However, his posting perhaps did not get the reception he was expecting. For a start, many people were disbelieving about his modeling claims. Others said they suspected the images were AI.

Was this during the holocaust-ish— Toupee Shakur (@Big_MoMo6) April 13, 2024

What have you done about it now, as an adult?

Nothing? Shocker…

If this story of you being a model is even true.— AdmNaismith (@AdamDSperryCAS) April 13, 2024

I’ll take things that never happened for $500. https://t.co/ibVCsPRUTw— Clarkson Lawson (@clarksonlawson_) April 13, 2024

As the cries of “fake” snowballed, Santos issued further details.

“Some clarification needed apparently,” he tweeted.

“No, these are not AI generated.

Santos said he didn’t work as a runway model or for any fashion brand.

“I was a looks model, trying out looks for boutiques who sold multi brand clothing and would use these and many more stock images to suggest pairings of their clothing to shoppers.

“Keeping in mind this is in the 2000’s before the insane connectivity.

“More pictures to come as I sort through the actual CD the images are stored in.”

Some respondents did believe Santos’s story, and a few even said they’d also had bad experiences when modeling.

Among those to reply with Matt Gaetz’s wife, Ginger. She said modeling had paid for her economics degree.

Modeling (runway, print) paid for my economics degree!

It was long hours and competitive auditions, but I'm so glad I had the experience. pic.twitter.com/TznTOg29vx— Ginger Gaetz (@GingerLGaetz) April 13, 2024

The downfall of George Santos

When Santos was elected to Congress in November 2022, he was the first out-gay Republican to join the US House. However, even before his inauguration, it emerged he had fabricated most of his résumé. He listed schools and colleges he never attended. He also listed jobs he’d never actually done.

Whilst on the campaign trail, he also made audacious claims about his family. He said his mom was a financial wizard who was in her office in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Friends of his late mother said they knew her to work as a cleaner.

He also said his grandparents had fled Europe to Brazil to escape the Holocaust. However, no documented evidence of this has emerged. Birth and death certificates indicate his grandparents were born and died in Brazil.

Santos was ejected from Congress last December following a damning ethics committee investigation. He still faces over 20 federal charges relating to wire fraud and identity theft. His court case is currently scheduled for September. He has consistently denied the charges against him.