US Rep. George Santos, a New York Republican known for fabricating key parts of his life story and campaign, has been arrested on federal criminal charges. Before an expected court appearance, Santos surrendered to the authorities and was charged with fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds. According to the indictment, Santos lied about his finances and deceived supporters that they were donating to help his campaign when he was using the funds for personal expenses, debts and luxury items. He is also accused of claiming unemployment benefits while running for Congress and employed as a regional director of an investment firm. After being elected to Congress last fall, questions were raised about Santos' personal history, financial standing and campaign spending. He had told people that he was a wealthy Wall Street dealmaker with a sizeable real estate portfolio, among other things. In reality, he neither worked at the big financial firms he had claimed nor attended college. Santos' arrest is seen as a reflection of the state of the Republican Party today and how it has turned electoral politics on its head.