Former Florida county tax collector Joel Greenberg, Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) indicted associate, will plead guilty to six felony counts including sex trafficking when he changes his plea at his hearing on Monday, according to Business Insider.
The other counts Greenberg is expected to plead guilty to also reportedly include identify theft and wire fraud.
The Justice Department had hit the former official with 33 criminal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor between 14 and 17 years old, bribery, and theft of government property.
That could spell trouble for Gaetz, who is reportedly under federal investigation for possibly sex trafficking a minor. In a confession letter Greenberg reportedly wrote to Roger Stone that was subsequently obtained by the Daily Beast, the ex-tax collector claimed Gaetz paid for sex with the same minor in his criminal case.
Fritz Scheller, Greenberg’s attorney, told reporters last month after a hearing with his client that “I’m sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today.”
The New York Times reported last month that Greenberg has been cooperating with investigators in the Gaetz probe.
The GOP lawmaker has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
Gaetz spokesperson Harlan Hill told the Washington Post on Thursday that “The first indictment of Joel Greenberg alleges that he falsely accused another man of sex with a minor for his own gain. That man was apparently innocent. So is Congressman Gaetz.”
