Matt Gaetz' Text Messages to Young Woman Who Was Paid By Politician's Ex-Pal For Sex Obtained by House Ethics Investigators
Feb. 14 2024, Published 3:32 p.m. ET
Congressional House Ethics investigators have obtained text messages from Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz allegedly asking a young woman to accompany him and others on a three-day trip in May 2017, RadarOnline.com has learned.
At the time, the young woman received payments for sex from a then-close friend of the Congressman, Joel Greenberg.
According to ABC News, Gaetz allegedly asked the young woman if she wanted to fly on a private jet to the Florida keys with the then-first-term representative, one other man and three women, all of which have not been identified at this time.
"Hey -- any interest in flying on a private plane to the keys May 19-21?" Gaetz allegedly asked in the message, according to a source familiar with the correspondence.
Gaetz allegedly described the trip as being composed of "2 guys, 4 girls. A very high-quality adventurous group."
The woman, who was not identified in the report, replied, "Yeah I'm in."
The Florida lawmaker allegedly replied enthusiastically, "Fantastic. As is true with all time you spend w me, it'll be fun and chill […] You have a passport?"
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Sources familiar with the trip told ABC News that the woman ultimately declined to travel to the Florida Keys with Gaetz and the group.
Nonetheless, if the messages are found to be credible, they indicate direct correspondence between Gaetz and the woman who Greenberg told investigators he had been paying to have sex with other men.
Greenberg, who was a former Seminole County tax collector, cooperated with the Justice Department's sex-trafficking probe into Gaetz.
Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years behind bars in December 2022, after he previously pleaded guilty to underage sex trafficking, wire fraud, stalking, identity theft and producing a fake I.D.
Greenberg was said to provide information about Gaetz in the sex-trafficking investigation. According to CNN, women who attended parties with the former tax collector and congressman alleged they participated in sex parties near Orlando that featured local politicians, young women, drugs, alcohol and Venmo payments.
It's unclear if Gaetz was aware of the payments between Greenberg and the woman.
A spokesperson for Rep. Gaetz issued a statement denying his involvement and knowledge of Greenberg's activities.
"Rep. Gaetz has no knowledge of these activities by Mr. Greenberg and was not involved in them. Rep. Gaetz has never paid for sex. Rep. Gaetz does not know anything about the woman you're referencing, though he takes thousands of selfies each year."