Navy Vet Who Claims George Santos Stole Dog Surgery Money Talks Shock at Revelation
US Navy veteran Richard Osthoff said in a CNN interview on Wednesday that he was “sick” of realizing just “a week ago” that serial liar Congressman George Santos (R-NY) is someone he knows as “Anthony Devolder” – the same guy who he allegedly stole $3,000 intended to pay for the surgery on Osthoff’s service dog.
Osthoff, who appeared with New Jersey Veterans Network President Michael Boll, brought to an interview the cremated remains of the dog Sapphire, who died in 2017. “I had to bring it, ‘ he said, touching a wooden vase. “That’s my baby, right there. That’s all I have left of her.”
Osthoff recalled around the time he was connected to the future congressman how he was homeless. “One of the veterinary technicians on site said, ‘I know this guy. He runs a charity and he saves a lot of animals,’” Osthoff said, adding that GoFundMe was set up shortly after.
After some obvious hangups along the way, Boll said he spoke to Santos, who “didn’t listen to what I said,” as he put it.
“I’m really upset because this is Rich’s lifeline. I work with veterans every day and dogs save lives,” Boll explains. “And he needs this dog every day of his life. And I felt terrible telling him that I had let him down because I felt that Mr Devolder would at the time do the right thing and he would not.”
When CNN host Erin Burnett asked Osthoff at what point he identified Santos as the alleged man behind the lure and switch, he said he made the connection “a week” prior to”.
“I saw him on TV and I was like, ‘I have this feeling in my stomach about this guy. Who was he and why did I recognize him?’” he recalls.
“It was in December, just in time for Christmas,” he continued. “Just about a week ago, he was at the Capitol and a lot of reporters followed him asking questions… and one of them said, ‘What’s your name today? Is that Anthony Devolder or is it George Santos?’”
Osthoff said of the moment when awareness began: “I was sick. To see that someone like that can do something that cowardly can [rise] to such a high position. That shouldn’t be true. That shouldn’t have happened.”
The freshman congressman has been exposed for false statements on a variety of topics, including race, religion and where he has worked. Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported that immigration records show Santos’ mother was not in the US on 9/11 even though he claimed she was “at his office in the South Tower.” Ex-roommate also announced Tuesday on CNN that Santos used a Jewish-sounding name as a ploy to make Jewish donors more generous with its online fundraisers.
Despite all this, as well as the way he allegedly wearing a stolen scarf to a “Stop Stealing” rally in January 2021, GOP leader give Santos a seat on the House Small Business Committee and the Science Committee.
