Matt Gaetz sex trafficking inquiry moves forward with witness cooperation

A former ally who claims to have witnessed him having sex with a 17-year-old is aiding in the investigation

Published February 9, 2024 7:32PM (EST)

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., leaves the U.S. Capitol after House votes on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

In early 2023, a federal investigation looking into claims that Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. paid or illegally trafficked a 17-year-old girl for sexual purposes while he was serving in Congress seemed to have concluded, with the DOJ opting against any charges. But, with the cooperation of a key witness, the case is picking up again.

According to a report from The New York Times on Friday, Gaetz’s former friend and political ally Joel Greenberg — who previously told federal investigators that he had witnessed Gaetz having sex with the girl — has provided documents to the House Ethics Committee regarding the claims.

Greenberg is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence, having pleaded guilty in May 2021 to charges including sex trafficking, and is aiding in the inquiry after receiving a request from the committee. If Gaetz is found guilty of similar crimes of his own, he faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.

In a statement from Gaetz spokesperson Jillian L. Wyant, she references the submitted documents as being “unreliable,” adding that the news media “should not be laundering smears from people in prison.”

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