Gaetz Claims Money For Yacht Purchase “Went Missing”

Tampa’s NBC News affiliate reports:

Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida has sailed into a new controversy, claiming money wired to close the sale on a St. Petersburg yacht his fiancée had agreed to buy “went missing.”

According to a spokesperson for the Republican, he and his fiancée Ginger Luckey were “targeted by malicious actors” during the purchase process of a St. Petersburg yacht. Follow-up questions about the transaction and clarification of the statement have not been answered.

The statement goes on to say “federal law enforcement is both aware of and actively pursuing” the alleged crime, but there is no mention of which agency is investigating or how much money is missing.

Read the full article. The yacht was originally named “Ol Pappy” but a paint job since Gaetz made the deal now shows its name as “Thirsty.” Ahem.

Matt Gaetz and his fiancé claim money wired to buy St. Petersburg yacht “went missing” #BecauseFlorida https://t.co/tcPfsVTM2F

— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) May 27, 2021

Matt Gaetz is claiming that money he wired to close a sale on a yacht went “missing.” Car keys go missing, chapstick goes missing, money wired from a child trafficker to close a sale on a “yacht” does NOT just go missing. Especially when his Venmo says he spent $1,000 on “salad.”

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) May 28, 2021

.@RepMattGaetz and his fiancee say a chunk of money they planned to sink into a yacht vanished when they tried to wire it to a boat broker.

A spokesperson for Gaetz said federal authorities are investigating.https://t.co/uUqd3bz8CC

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 28, 2021