Federal prosecutors charged Greenberg with 33 criminal counts but dropped 27 of those after Greenberg agreed to cooperative with federal investigators, who are now also looking into whether Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old.
Gaetz has not been charged with any crime and has publicly criticized Greenberg, who he has previously referred to as a “wingman.” The Republican lawmaker is not mentioned in Greenberg’s plea agreement, but his attorney has directly mentioned Gaetz in public, quipping that the Republican lawmaker and close ally of former President Donald Trump should not be “feeling very comfortable” after an April court hearing.
Greenberg had to resign his position last year after prosecutors filed the first of three separate indictments. The probe into Greenberg began after he falsely accused a political rival of being a pedophile in anonymously penned letters. As the investigation expanded, Greenberg later faced charges of misusing public funds and sex trafficking of a 17-year-old, charges he has since pleaded guilty to.
As the investigation into Greenberg expanded, it eventually ensnared Gaetz, who has vocally denied wrongdoing since it leaked to the New York Times that he was under investigation.
Gaetz, who spoke last weekend during Trump’s rally in Sarasota, Fla., did not directly address the investigation but noted it has been a difficult few months.
“I’m not going to lie, after the past few months I needed that, thank you Florida,” Gaetz said as the crowd gave him a huge ovation.
