George Santos’ ex says congressman will never resign because “his ego is too big”

The ex-boyfriend of New York congressman George Santos says the Republican, who faces growing calls to resign for lying extensively about his past, will never do so, even as he faces multiple investigations, including into his finances.

“His ego is too big. He will not resign. If they don’t figure something out to get him (to leave), he won’t do it. That’s right, knowing the person he is”, said Pedro Vilarva to CNN .

Vilarva said he met Santos in 2014, when he was 18 years old. Santos was 26 at the time and married to a woman. They moved in together shortly after Vilarva finished high school.

The relationship ended, Vilarva said, as he became increasingly suspicious of Santos, who repeatedly said he would take Vilarva to Hawaii and propose, but never did. Vilarva believes that Santos eventually stole his phone and sold it for cash.

THE CNN sought Santos’ attorney for comment on the charge.

Asked if he was surprised that Santos was now a congressman, Vilarva said no.

“What he was always looking for was fame and power,” said Vilarva. “That’s all he cared about and he got it.”

Santos was married to a woman during his relationship with Vilarva, who told the CNN who only found out about it after he moved out of Santos’ house.

“It was like a little shock for me,” said Vilarva.

“But then he used to say he was going to get a divorce, he was getting a divorce – and he never got a divorce. And then I found out that they only got a divorce in 2019″.

THE CNN reviewed official records confirming that Santos was married to a woman from 2012 to 2019, when they divorced.

Vilarva also said he was aware of some lies told by Santos years ago, including the congressman’s allegation of having been an employee of the Citigroup finance company. “I already knew”, he said, “because I never saw him working”.

But as new reports reveal the scope of Santos’ inventions, Vilarva said the situation is weighing heavily on him.

“It is very shocking. It’s a little disturbing too. It’s something that happened nine years ago,” he told CNN. “Everything comes back at once.”