The attorney for disgraced Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg filed a motion this week to submit information about his cooperation with federal investigators under seal.
Greenberg, who is facing up to 12 years in prison for sex trafficking, wire fraud and other crimes. Greenberg pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with investigations into several cases, presumably including an ongoing probe of Florida congressman Matt Gaetz. Greenberg admitted to paying a minor to cross state lines for the purposes of sex, meeting the federal standard for sex trafficking charges. Public transactions between Gaetz and Greenberg appear to point toward the latter acquiring escorts for the former.
Investigators are looking into whether Gaetz also paid a sex worker who was then a minor. Greenberg has successfully delayed his own sentencing several times to cooperate with federal investigations. Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend has testified against the Panhandle legislator. Whether or not Greenberg is sharing info about his former associate is unknown.
“Pursuant to his plea agreement with the Government and to mitigate the significant penalties he faces, Mr. Greenberg has been cooperating with federal prosecutors in active investigations currently being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida and the Department of Justice, ” Greenberg’s attorney Fritz Scheller wrote in his filing. “If this Court sets a hearing on the motion, the proceeding will convey specific information to the Court concerning Mr. Greenberg’s cooperation against multiple individuals.”
Gaetz has consistently denied all allegations against him, sometimes in bizarre ways.