Tag Archives: Joel Greenberg

Talking Points Memo reports: Former Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg, who has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking in connection to the federal investigation into Gaetz, filed a motion on Tuesday to delay his sentencing hearing to give him more time to cooperate with prosecutors. Greenberg’s attorney argued that his client’s cooperation, which “could impact his ultimate sentence” in the case, …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: Joel Greenberg, the former Seminole County tax collector who recently pleaded guilty to six federal charges — including sex trafficking of a child — is now set to face sentencing Aug. 19, records show. In a pair of orders filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell also formally accepted Greenberg’s guilty pleas, which he made …

Law & Crime reports: “He will honor his plea agreement,” lawyer Fritz Scheller said in response to inquiries about whether his client planned to testify against Gaetz. Several former federal prosecutors weighed in on the significance of Greenberg’s guilty plea and cooperation deal, with all agreeing that it appeared to put Gaetz in a precarious legal position. Former U.S. Attorney …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: Joel Greenberg was led into court by U.S. Marshals and appeared in a dark colored jail jumpsuit, shackled at the wrists and ankles and flanked by two attorneys. He spoke succinctly during the hearing, responding with one or two words to questions from a magistrate judge. In all, Greenberg faced 33 federal charges. But prosecutors will …

The New York Times reports: A former confidant of Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, admitted in court papers on Friday to an array of federal crimes — including sex trafficking of a minor — and agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations, handing prosecutors a potential key witness as they decide whether to charge Mr. Gaetz. Joel Greenberg, …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: A change of plea hearing has been scheduled for Monday in federal court in the case of Joel Greenberg, the former Seminole County tax collector who resigned in disgrace last June. Greenberg — who is required to attend the 10 a.m. hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie Hoffman — is expected to plead guilty to federal …

The Daily Beast reports: A confession letter written by Joel Greenberg in the final months of the Trump presidency claims that he and close associate Rep. Matt Gaetz paid for sex with multiple women — as well as a girl who was 17 at the time. “On more than one occasion, this individual was involved in sexual activities with several …

The Daily Beast reports: In the Venmo transactions reviewed by The Daily Beast, there are at least 16 payments in 2017 totaling nearly $5,000 to a woman who would later go on to date Matt Gaetz. Additionally, Greenberg paid her $1,500 over the course of two days in April 2017 using Cash App. That woman—who came to Washington, D.C. as …

Politico reports: The Florida county tax collector was five days away from a federal indictment for sex trafficking involving a 17-year-old — the same one Gaetz is now being investigated over — so Greenberg reached out to mutual friends on Aug. 14 last year and tried to enlist them in his defense, according to a WhatsApp chat. He fumed that …

The Tallahassee Democrat reports: Halsey Beshears, the former head of the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation and a seven-year state House member from Jefferson County, is the third Florida Republican caught up in a federal sex trafficking investigation. The widening probe that stems from irregularities in the Seminole County Tax Collector’s office has placed Beshears on a plane …

Mediaite reports: The attorney for an associate to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) suggested the embattled congressman had reason to be concerned that his client was working with prosecutors to build a case against him. “I’m sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today,” Fritz Scheller, an attorney to former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, said in an afternoon …

Politico reports: The legal peril Rep. Matt Gaetz is facing appeared to increase sharply after a court hearing indicated that one of his close friends, former Seminole County, Fla., tax collector Joel Greenberg, is likely cooperating with federal prosecutors. The federal probe looking into whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her travel began …

The Tampa Bay Times reports: Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg claimed to have explosive devices and threatened to harm himself while negotiating his surrender with deputy sheriffs in early March, which delayed for hours his arrest for violating his bond conditions, newly released records state. In an incident report, Seminole County Deputy Jerome Grunat wrote that when he …

The Washington Post reports: Until last year, Joel Greenberg was an ascendant political player in Seminole County, Fla., where he unseated a longtime incumbent in the race for county tax collector, won a political battle to allow his deputies to carry guns on the job and flaunted his connections to prominent Republicans with close ties to then-President Donald Trump, including …