May 17, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Ex-Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking a minor

Orion Rummler

Joel Greenberg, a former associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), pleaded guilty on Monday to six criminal charges, including sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl and wire fraud, the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: The Justice Department is investigating Gaetz "over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old," per the New York Times. Greenberg, a former Florida county tax collector, could be a key witness as federal prosecutors decide whether to charge Gaetz.

Investigators found evidence "potentially implicating Gaetz in sex trafficking" after probing Greenberg’s conduct, the Post reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
"The allegations against me are as searing as they are false," Gaetz told Axios' Jonathan Swan in March. The Florida congressman and Trump loyalist has not been charged.

What's next: Greenberg has agreed to cooperate in the federal investigation in exchange for prosecutors dropping the other 27 counts he faced.

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Ex-Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking a minor

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