The disgraced former congressman took to social media on Thursday night, saying he "may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit."
He went on to thank his supporters and said he tried being honest on "most days."
Santos was sentenced to 87 months, a little more than seven years, in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in August of 2024.
The 37-year-old was once touted as a rising political star after he flipped the suburban district that covers the affluent North Shore of Long Island and a slice of the New York City borough of Queens in 2022.
But his life story began unraveling before he was even sworn into office. At the time, reports emerged that he had lied about having a career at top Wall Street firms and a college degree along with other questions of his biography.
New questions then emerged about his campaign funds.
He was first indicted on federal charges in May 2023, but refused to resign from office. Santos was expelled from Congress after an ethics investigation found "overwhelming evidence" that he had broken the law and exploited his public position for his own profit.
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