The mystery surrounding Rep. George Santos' $500,000 bond has been solved. Court documents unsealed on Thursday revealed that the New York Congressman's father, Gercino dos Santos, and aunt, Elma Preven, signed the bond guaranteeing his release pending trial.

Santos faces a 13-count federal indictment including charges of fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. He pleaded not guilty on May 10th. The bond agreement allows Santos to remain free, but restricts his travel to New York City, Long Island, and Washington D.C., and requires him to surrender his passport. While his father and aunt didn't have to provide the full $500,000 upfront, they are financially liable should Santos violate the terms of his release.

The unsealing of the bond documents followed a legal battle initiated by news organizations. Santos had fought to keep the identities of the co-signers secret, citing concerns about potential harassment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Shields initially denied Santos' request, a decision later upheld by Long Island U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert. Seybert's order stipulated that the names be revealed on Thursday, June 22nd, allowing Santos time to potentially modify his release conditions if his co-signers chose to withdraw.

Santos' attorney, Joseph Murray, had argued in court filings that Santos would prefer jail time to exposing his guarantors to public scrutiny and potential "great harm," citing the intense media attention and criticism directed at the congressman. Santos himself had previously stated that the media would "never get" information about the source of his bail funds, expressing concern for their well-being.

The source of the bail funds has been a subject of much speculation, with some House Democrats suggesting potential political influence by Santos' financial backers. Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) even introduced a resolution urging the House Ethics Committee to investigate the matter and determine if Santos violated any congressional gifting rules.