A $19 million superyacht sale between two of Rep. George Santos’ (R-NY) biggest donors was brokered by the congressman himself, according to TheNew York Times, with authorities investigating his campaign finances and business practices now looking into the deal. Auto magnate Raymond Tantillo purchased the 141-foot luxury vessel—which comes complete with an infinity pool and a waterfall—from Mayra Ruiz last November, according to a Times source. In the weeks before his election, Santos allegedly negotiated the multimillion-dollar payment and advised both parties on the logistics of transferring ownership of the boat. Election law experts say the sale could have breached campaign contribution rules if it was designed to pump cash into Santos’ campaign, but it’s not currently clear if any laws were broken. The Daily Beast first revealed that organizations linked to Tantillo and Ruiz were clients of Santos’ Devolder Organization in December, with the scandal-ridden lawmaker having previously admitted that he used money from his company to fund his campaign.
