Joel Greenberg, an associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) who has been indicted for sex trafficking and dozens of other crimes, reportedly used Venmo to make more than 150 payments to dozens of women and one 17-year-old.
The Daily Beast reports obtaining transactions that show Greenberg, who served as Seminole County tax collector at the time, paid $300 to the then-17-year-old in June 2017 with “Food” in the memo box.
That was reportedly the same teen whom the Daily Beast previously reported had received part of the $900 payment Greenberg made to three females via Venmo the morning after Gaetz had Venmo’d the tax collector that same amount of money in March 2018 (the teen was 18 years old by then). The Florida Republican reportedly wrote “Hit up [redacted teen’s name]” in the memo box.
The Daily Beast also reports that in 2017 Greenberg made at least 16 Venmo payments adding up to almost $5,000 and Cash App payments adding up to $1,500 to a woman who would later date Gaetz. The woman reportedly worked as an intern in D.C. in January 2018 and said she dated the congressman during and after her senior year in college.
The Daily Beast also revealed a previously unreported Venmo transaction from Gaetz to Greenberg on November 1, 2018 in which the GOP lawmaker paid $300 and put the love hotel emoji that looks like “?” in the memo box. Greenberg reportedly booked a one-night stay at luxury hotel in Florida for that date, according to the Daily Beast.
Gaetz is currently under investigation for alleged sex trafficking of a 17-year-old and involvements with women who were paid for sex in connection with Greenberg, all of which the Republican congressman has denied. The investigation sprung from the criminal case against Greenberg, who is expected to plead guilty.
