CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - Former Rep. George Santos appeared in court for a status conference

Former Rep. George Santos made an appearance in court on Tuesday morning for what is known as a status conference. This court appearance comes as Santos is currently negotiating a potential plea deal on fraud charges.

Santos seemed to be in good spirits as he was seen smiling and laughing with his attorney upon arrival. Notably, he was wearing Ferragamo sneakers, which typically retail for around $1,000.

Prosecutors informed the judge that negotiations are expected to continue, and no formal offer has been presented yet. Santos is facing nearly two dozen charges, including wire fraud, identity theft, campaign finance violations, and other crimes as detailed in two federal indictments issued earlier this year. He was expelled from Congress on December 1. The trial is scheduled to commence in September. Santos' attorney argued against moving up the trial date, citing the massive amount of evidence, consisting of 1.3 million pieces, that he has received from the state for review.

Santos is expected to return to court on January 23.

In an interview with CBS New York's Marcia Kramer on "The Point" following his expulsion, Santos expressed his numerous regrets and acknowledged the long path to redemption that lies ahead, vowing to put in the necessary effort to achieve it.

Santos expressed surprise at his congressional colleagues' audacity to expel him prior to his day in court, using the term "chutzpah" to describe their actions.

He took responsibility for not writing his own resume or campaign biography, attributing them to a former campaign staff member.

Furthermore, Santos revealed that he now earns more money from the online website Cameo than he did during his tenure as a member of Congress.