‘Rat’ Joel Greenburg Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Minor in Deal After Throwing Matt Gaetz Under the Bus

Today, former Seminole Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg pled guilty to a myriad of charges, including sex trafficking a minor.

This comes after he struck a deal with prosecutors last week. In exchange for pleading guilty to the six charges, over twenty others will be dismissed. Greenberg will now be working with the federal government to assist in their investigation.

NYT Politics reported on Twitter:

“Joel Greenberg, the former confidant of Representative Matt Gaetz, pleaded guilty on Monday to sex trafficking a minor and other federal charges as part of a plea deal that will require him to help in other Justice Department investigations.”

Joel Greenberg, the former confidant of Representative Matt Gaetz, pleaded guilty on Monday to sex trafficking a minor and other federal charges as part of a plea deal that will require him to help in other Justice Department investigations. https://t.co/IxKzYLEhLN

— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) May 17, 2021

According to CNN, “[Matt] Gaetz isn’t mentioned in the 86 pages of plea deal documents released last Friday.” However earlier this year the Daily Beast reported on a letter from Gaetz “wingman” Joel Greenburg which named Gaetz and a participant in the sex trafficking of the minor. Greenburg wrote, “On more than one occasion, this individual was involved in sexual activities with several of the other girls, the congressman from Florida’s 1st Congressional District and myself,” Greenberg wrote in reference to the 17-year-old.”

He continued, “From time to time, gas money or gifts, rent or partial tuition payments were made to several of these girls, including the individual who was not yet 18. I did see the acts occur firsthand and Venmo transactions, Cash App or other payments were made to these girls on behalf of the Congressman.”

“They know he paid me to pay the girls and that he and I both had sex with the girl who was underage.” Greenburg wrote to Roger Stone when asking for his help.

According to the Daily Beast, Greenburg also wrote about, “his relationship with Gaetz. He confessed to paying young women for sex. And he claimed that he, Gaetz, and others had sex with a minor they believed to be 19 at the time. Greenberg said he learned she was underage on Sept. 4, 2017, from “an anonymous tip” and quickly contacted Gaetz.

They then left the girl alone until five months after her 18th birthday. “Gaetz sent Greenberg $900 in two Venmo transactions—one titled “Test” and the other titled “hit up ___.” The blank contained a nickname for this girl, and Greenberg paid her and two other women a total of $900 about six hours later.”

With Gaetz not mentioned by name in the plea deal made by Greenberg Harlin Hill, Spokesman for Gaetz said Monday, “Joel Greenberg has now confessed to falsely accusing an innocent man of having sex with a minor.” Hill referenced the plea deal from Friday.

Greenberg’s lawyer told reporters, “Does my client have information that could hurt an elected official? I guess this is must-see television. You’ll just have to wait and see.” He declined to comment on the statement made by Gaetz spokesman.

It’s unclear if this means Congressman Gaetz is now cleared of previous allegations that he was involved, or if more is to come in this wild saga.