Florida: Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz sued for alleged involvement in sex trafficking ring
Two women accused the former lawmaker and other former officials of using money, drugs and travel to obtain sexual services between 2017 and 2019. Gaetz denied the allegations.
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) (File photo)
Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to head the Department of Justice, is facing a federal civil lawsuit for his alleged involvement in a sex trafficking ring that reportedly operated in Florida between 2017 and 2019.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, Oct. 15, in a federal court in Orlando, Fla., by two women identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, according to the AP.
The lawsuit also names Joel Greenberg, former Seminole County tax collector, and Christopher Dorworth, former Florida state legislator, as well as several companies linked to the Greenberg family.
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Financial incentives, travel, lodging and gifts
According to the court document, the plaintiffs were 20 and 22 years old when they met the defendants through a dating platform. The women allege that they were recruited through financial incentives, travel, lodging and gifts, as well as the provision of drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and MDMA.
The indictment states that the defendants allegedly used their political influence and financial resources to take advantage of the young women's financial vulnerability and obtain paid sexual encounters. The incidents allegedly occurred during parties and trips to various destinations in the United States and the Bahamas.
The plaintiffs also claim to have received electronic transfers labeled as "school" and "rent," which were allegedly intended to conceal the true purpose of the payments.
Legal background
Gaetz had already been investigated by the Department of Justice, which ultimately did not file criminal charges against him.
However, in December 2024, the House Ethics Committee released a report finding substantial evidence that the former representative had paid for sex and used illegal drugs. The report also concluded that he had sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl in 2017, an allegation that Gaetz has denied.
The controversy contributed to his withdrawal from the race to become the country's attorney general, after having been nominated by Trump in November 2024.
Gaetz denies the allegations
The former representative denied the new allegations and maintained that much of what is described in the lawsuit is false.
Gaetz argued that the lawsuit is based primarily on the congressional report and asserted that the new legal proceedings will allow him to confront his accusers in court. The two women are seeking compensatory damages, reimbursement of legal fees and a jury trial.
The lawsuit is a civil matter, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court. Gaetz has not been criminally charged in connection with these events and will have the opportunity to present his defense during the proceedings.
Currently, the former congressman hosts a political program on the conservative network One America News Network (OANN).
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