Erstwhile House lawmaker turned political influencer George Santos finds himself entangled with the law once more. On Wednesday, Santos disclosed that his legal team is engaging with the Justice Department following reports that he may be under investigation related to his activities on a prediction market.

The backstory unfolded when NPR reported on Tuesday that Santos had been scrutinized by the prediction market platform Kalshi for allegedly placing bets that he would miss President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, despite earlier claims on social media that he would attend. Kalshi has since forwarded their findings to both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Santos responded to the allegations on his X social media account, stating, “The bases [sic] of the accusation is preposterous and I look forward to supplying any information asked of me to any agency that inquires, till then media please do not inquire.”

This isn’t Santos’ first brush with controversy. His brief stint in Congress ended after it was revealed that he had fabricated much of his resume, including false claims about his heritage and previous employment at prestigious financial institutions. Subsequent to these revelations, the House voted to expel him, followed by a federal indictment and an Ethics Committee report.

In a dramatic turn of events last April, Santos was sentenced to seven years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity fraud concerning the misuse of campaign funds and fictitious charity donations. However, his time behind bars was cut short when former President Trump granted him clemency in October, having served less than three months. Trump praised Santos for his unwavering support for the Republican party, despite acknowledging his controversial actions.

House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed hope at the time that Santos would capitalize on his "second chance." However, with the latest developments, Santos appears to be under the microscope once again.

The DOJ has yet to comment on the situation, while the CFTC informed POLITICO that it "can't confirm or deny investigations."

Santos concluded his recent statements with a promise to provide further comments when appropriate, emphasizing his respect for the ongoing processes. The political landscape watches closely as Santos navigates through these legal challenges, awaiting clarity on the implications of his alleged market manipulations.