The case of George Santos and the importance of background checks

Employment background checks have been proven to be a front guard to mitigate the risk of fraud. From education, technology, medicine, agricultural fields, to political areas, this tool can help organizations save millions of annual costs due to misconduct.

In the political field, employment background checks have proven to play a vital role in detecting fraud. The latest is the case of the newly elected congress member, George Santos, who has been under fire for allegedly conducting a series of fraudulent activities.
 
 

A series of alleged frauds

Santos won the Congress for New York’s 3rd district election in November 2022. A month later, a media platform exposed the political figure and his fabricated CV.

Later, Santos even acknowledged that he lied about his educational background and employment history, among other clarifications.

The disclosure of this case seemed to open Santos’ Pandora’s box. In early 2023, it was reported that Brazilian authorities were going to revive a fraud case against Santos after authorities suspended the case, having been unable to trace him for almost a decade.

Thanks to the bombshell CV fraud case, they were able to track him down. A spokesperson for the Rio de Janeiro prosecutor’s office, Maristela Pereira, stated that after authorities confirm Santos’ whereabouts, they will formally request that the US Justice Department inform him of the allegations.

The allegations did not stop there. The latest claim was that Santos allegedly stole a homeless veteran’s funds, supposedly gathered from donations.

In fact, a background check vendor had undertaken an examination of Santos and his CV at the request of his staff prior to his advancement in the campaign. However, Santos refused to withdraw his candidacy when the background check revealed his lies.

This liability was then used by his Democratic opponent running against him in the elections. The opposing campaign committee investigated Santos and discovered the various findings obtained by the vendor.

Corporate background checks

Learning from the Santos case, organizations can also apply background check methods to uncover lies or other things that potential employees may be hiding. It underlines the significance of verifying the unilateral claims that people make on their CVs.

Unfortunately, according to the results of a poll conducted this year by online media, only around half of employers (of 1,250 correspondences) check the academic qualifications of their candidates.

Background checks verify the claims stated in a CV, including a variety of checks that may be adjusted to the needs of organizations based on the industry and job level. Basic checks, such as identification verification, degree verification, reputation checks, and criminal background checks are common for all levels.

By having all candidate information at hand, your organization will be better equipped to make the right hiring decisions. For more detailed information on employment background checks and other compliance services, contact us today.

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Joseph Chan on Unsplash