Texts show Joel Greenberg arranging to meet a woman who 'usually' requires '$400 per meet,'
JoelGreenberg has given prosecutors years' worth of electronic cash transactions
and "thousands" of pictures and videos as part of a broad
sex-trafficking probe, sources told ABC News.
The outlet also reviewed Google Voice text messages that
Greenberg is said to have sent in September 2018 to a woman he met online. The
text messages appear to show Greenberg asking the woman whether she was of
legal age and whether she would take drugs, ABC reported. He then asked whether
she'd like to meet with him and Gaetz. He added, "And how much of an
allowance will you be requiring :)," the report said.
The woman replied that she had a friend who introduced her
to the website whom she could bring. She also said that she "usually"
requires "$400 per meet," the report said.
ABC News reported that Greenberg subsequently sent the woman
a photo of Gaetz taking a selfie with Pea Ridge Elementary School students in
2017. He wrote, "My friend." The woman is said to have replied,
"Oooh my friend thinks he's really cute!"
Greenberg told the woman that Gaetz was "down here only
for the day," the report said. He continued, "We work hard and play
hard." He then asked her if she had ever tried MDMA.
ABC News said the woman asked Greenberg whether Gaetz used
the same website that Greenberg had used to communicate with her, and Greenberg
replied, "He knows the deal :)." He also said that he would book
"a suite Downtown" for the meetup.
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Greenberg, a former Seminole County, Florida, tax collector,
has been cooperating with prosecutors in the investigation into him and Gaetz
since last year, and he struck a formal plea deal in May, pleading guilty to
six felony counts of sex trafficking, wire fraud, identity theft, conspiracy,
and stalking.
Sources told ABC News that Greenberg turned over years of
Venmo and Cash App transactions to federal prosecutors, and that he also gave
them access to personal social-media accounts.
Investigators began scrutinizing whether Gaetz violated
federal sex-trafficking laws last year as part of their inquiry into Greenberg.
In addition to looking into whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a
17-year-old in 2019, prosecutors are said to be looking into whether he paid
for her to travel with him, thereby breaking federal sex-trafficking laws.
The New York Times reported that the inquiry is focusing on
Gaetz's and Greenberg's interactions with "multiple women who were
recruited online for sex and received cash payments." The sex probe is
focusing on Gaetz's conduct not only in his home state of Florida but also in
other states, and investigators are said to be examining whether Gaetz used
campaign money to fund travel and other expenses for women.
Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing, and he has not been charged
with a crime. His spokesperson, Harlan Hill, denounced the allegations outlined
in ABC News' report as false.
"After months of media coverage, not one woman has come
forward to accuse Rep. Gaetz of wrongdoing," Hill told the outlet.
"Not even President Biden can say that. That others might invite people
unbeknownst to a U.S. Congressman to functions he may or may not attend is the
everyday life of a political figure. Your story references people the
congressman doesn't know, things he hasn't done and messages he neither sent
nor received."
Hill went on to say that Gaetz addressed "the debunked
allegations against him - and their origin in an extortion plot - during his
Firebrand podcast episode last week. People should download and watch."
Earlier this year, as Greenberg was on the cusp of striking
a formal plea deal, his attorney indicated that he had significant information
of value to offer prosecutors about Gaetz.
"I'm sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable
today," Greenberg's attorney, Fritz Scheller, told reporters after a court
hearing in early April.
In July, Scheller requested a 90-day delay in Greenberg's
sentencing hearing, which was originally scheduled for August 19, because his
client expected to cooperate further.
"Mr. Greenberg has been cooperating with the government
and has participated in a series of proffers. Said cooperation, which could
impact his ultimate sentence, cannot be completed prior to the time of his
sentencing," Scheller wrote.
"The parties expect that Mr. Greenberg will participate
in additional proffers, and a continuance would provide Mr. Greenberg with
additional time to do so prior to his sentencing," Scheller continued.
A federal judge signed off on the request shortly after, and
a new sentencing date has been set for November.
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