Matt Gaetz: Two Women File Federal Sex Trafficking Lawsuit in Florida

• Two women have filed a federal lawsuit in Florida against former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, Joel Greenberg, and others, alleging a sex trafficking scheme involving money, drugs, and travel.
• The plaintiffs claim Gaetz and Greenberg recruited them for sexual encounters between 2017 and 2019, seeking unspecified damages under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
• Gaetz denies the accusations, stating he looks forward to depositions to challenge the claims, which he says rely on a congressional report where he couldn't confront his accusers.
• The lawsuit follows a 2024 House Ethics Committee report finding substantial evidence Gaetz paid women for sex, and a 2023 closure of a multi-year DOJ investigation into Gaetz without federal charges.
• Co-defendant Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty in 2021 to federal sex trafficking charges, including of a minor, and is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence.

The plaintiffs allege a scheme involving the use of money, illicit substances, and travel to exploit them for sexual purposes.

Two women have initiated a federal lawsuit against former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, filing a complaint in the Middle District of Florida. The civil action, lodged on Thursday, names Gaetz, ex-Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, Christopher Dorworth, and four businesses associated with Greenberg as defendants. The plaintiffs allege a scheme involving the use of money, illicit substances, and travel to exploit them for sexual purposes.

The complaint asserts that from 2017 through January 2019, Gaetz and Greenberg actively recruited the women for sexual encounters. It further claims they shared the costs for drugs, hotel accommodations, and travel expenses related to these activities. Dorworth is accused of knowingly facilitating events at his residence, while Greenberg's family businesses are implicated in financially supporting the alleged operation. The women's legal filing states, "They were men of power, wealth, and privilege who used their positions not to protect the vulnerable but to prey upon them," and they are seeking unspecified damages under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act civil suit.

In response to the allegations, Gaetz issued a statement to The Guardian on Thursday, expressing his anticipation for depositions. He stated his belief that these proceedings would allow him to demonstrate the falsity of the accusations. Gaetz specifically highlighted that the lawsuit's foundation relies heavily on a congressional committee report, which he claims did not afford him the opportunity to confront his accusers, an opportunity he now expects to have.

This Matt Gaetz sex trafficking federal lawsuit emerges after years of scrutiny surrounding the former congressman. The U.S. Justice Department conducted a multi-year investigation into Gaetz, probing suspicions related to sex trafficking, illegal drug use, and obstruction of justice. However, this federal inquiry concluded in 2023 without any federal charges being brought against him.

Despite the absence of criminal charges, a 2024 report by the House Ethics Committee presented substantial evidence concerning Gaetz's conduct. This congressional ethics committee Matt Gaetz report indicated that Gaetz frequently compensated women for sexual activity. The report also documented tens of thousands of dollars in payments to approximately a dozen women, which the committee deemed likely connected to sexual activity or drug use.

The allegations against Gaetz have also been intertwined with the legal troubles of Joel Greenberg. Greenberg himself pleaded guilty in 2021 to federal charges, including the sex trafficking of a minor. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to utilizing a website designed for "sugar daddy relationships" to locate women for paid sexual encounters, sometimes disguising these payments as funds for educational or living costs. He also confessed to supplying ecstasy to women and introducing a minor to adult men for commercial sex acts. Greenberg received an 11-year federal prison sentence in December 2022 and is projected for release in 2033. Gaetz's political career was also impacted, as he resigned from Congress in 2024 following his nomination by President Donald Trump for U.S. Attorney General, a nomination he subsequently withdrew after several Senate Republicans cited the committee's findings in their refusal to support his bid.

The plaintiffs' complaint details specific methods of recruitment and exploitation. It alleges that Greenberg initially recruited the women through SeekingArrangement.com, a platform he admitted using in his own criminal case, and subsequently introduced them to Gaetz. While Gaetz did not maintain his own profile on the site, the lawsuit claims he accessed it using Greenberg's login credentials.

One of the women states she was 20 years old when she first encountered Gaetz in 2017. She claims to have engaged in sexual activity with him at a July 2017 gathering held at Dorworth's home in Heathrow, Florida. This plaintiff further alleges receiving a series of payments from both Gaetz and Greenberg, which she describes as often small and inconsistent, leading to her dependence on the men for essential living expenses.

The second woman involved in the lawsuit indicates she was 22 when Greenberg first contacted her online in 2017. She asserts that both Greenberg and Gaetz paid her for sex and made promises to cover her college tuition and other expenses, promises that were ultimately not fulfilled to the agreed amounts. The complaint also outlines how Gaetz and Greenberg allegedly arranged and financed trips to various destinations, including Las Vegas and the Bahamas, in exchange for sexual acts. During a trip to New York in January 2019, the women claim an associate informed them they were required to perform sexual acts with Gaetz before attending a nightclub. Furthermore, the lawsuit specifies that drugs, such as MDMA, cocaine, and marijuana, were routinely provided during these events and trips.

Lawyers advising high-net-worth individuals or public figures should note the potential for significant civil liability under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, even when criminal investigations conclude without charges. This case highlights the broad scope of civil actions that can be brought against alleged participants in sex trafficking schemes, regardless of their direct involvement in recruitment or the outcome of prior criminal inquiries.

Source: Original reporting via Courthouse News Service