News

Joel Greenberg Agrees To Cooperate With Justice Dept. In Rep. Matt Gaetz Investigation

Former South Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg, currently in police custody under a slew of charges including sex trafficking of a minor, stalking, bribery and defrauding the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program, has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department. Greenberg was closely associated with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), who is the subject of a federal probe investigating allegations that the representative had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.

“I am sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today,” Greenberg’s defense lawyer Fritz Scheller, said to reporters after court hearing Thursday. Scheller explained that Greenberg’s cooperation deal had been underway for the past month and that plea deal discussions for the former tax collector would likely take much longer. “We have all these levels of approval from the government, from the Department of Justice,” Scheller said. “It’s complicated. There’s a lot of different aspects to it, and it’s an ongoing process.”

Greenberg’s decision to cooperate indicates new trouble for Gaetz, but it is unclear if a Greenberg testimony would be accepted in court, as the former tax collector is also charged with falsely calling a political rival a pedophile, making any testimony about Gaetz’s alleged connection with a 17-year-old girl an easy target for the Florida representative’s defense team.

In case a plea deal is not reached between Greenberg and the Justice Department, U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Presnell announced that Greenberg’s jury trial would be in either June or July.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Brandon Mumei

Recent Posts

VIDEO: Trump Watches SpaceX Launch Alongside Elon Musk & Ted Cruz

https://youtube.com/shorts/YVrfbMZSVRE?feature=share US President-elect Donald Trump drew cheers as he arrived in Texas on Nov. 19 to watch…

2 days ago

Foreign Policy Experts Voice Concern About Trump’s Nomination Of Tulsi Gabbard For Director Of National Intelligence

After President-elect Donald Trump selected Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, as his nominee for…

3 days ago

Trump’s Pick Of Vaccine-Skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alarms Scientific Community

President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be his pick for Department…

4 days ago

VIDEO: President-Elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk & Cabinet Picks Attend UFC Fight In NYC, Crowd Chants “USA”

https://youtube.com/shorts/6CUvTmS87UM?feature=share President-elect Donald Trump arrived to cheers at an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event in…

5 days ago

Trump Pick Of Matt Gaetz For Attorney General Sends Shock Waves Through Capitol

President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) as his attorney general has sent shockwaves through…

5 days ago

VIDEO: Fights Break Out In Stand During France-Israel Match

https://youtube.com/shorts/TD8RNJl-NBk A fight broke out in one of the stands at the Stade de France…

5 days ago