Matt Gaetz named as defendant in civil suit alleging sex trafficking

Matt Gaetz named as defendant in civil suit alleging sex trafficking The lawsuit claims the defendants funded trips across state lines to Miami, Las Vegas, New York and the Florida Keys for victims and political figures - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has been named as a defendant in a federal civil lawsuit alleging he participated in a sex trafficking scheme involving young women and illegal drugs that crossed state lines. The 33-page complaint was filed Monday in the Middle District of Florida by attorney Spencer Kuvin on behalf of two women identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2. “I look forward to taking the plaintiffs’ depositions because much of the conduct alleged against me is false,” Gaetz said in a statement. “The lawsuit relies almost exclusively on a Congressional Committee report that didn’t allow me to confront my accusers. Now I will finally have that chance.” According to the lawsuit, seen by the Miami Herald, the alleged incidents took place between 2017 and January 2019. The suit names two other defendants: former Florida GOP House member Christopher Dorworth and former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg. Greenberg is currently serving an 11-year federal prison sentence following a 2021 guilty plea for sex trafficking of a minor, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, stalking and conspiracy. The lawsuit alleges that Greenberg recruited vulnerable women without stable income using the website SeekingArangement.com, introducing them to a network that included Gaetz and Dorworth. The plaintiffs contend the defendants provided controlled substances at parties and private residences to facilitate commercial sex encounters. Jane Doe 1 was 20 and Jane Doe 2 was 22 when introduced to Gaetz in the summer of 2017. The suit states Gaetz was 15 years older than Jane Doe 1 and 13 years older than Jane Doe 2, alleging the defendants used the age gap to manipulate the women and maintain secrecy. According to the complaint, Jane Doe 1 received more than $6,000 from Gaetz and Jane Doe 2 received over $4,000, with payment descriptions including “Being my friend,” “car deductible” and “Love you.” Jane Doe 1 also alleges she witnessed Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old girl identified in the lawsuit as “Victim A,” who is not a plaintiff in the case. This is a breaking news story. More to come… Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments