Gaetz ally plans to plead guilty, raising possibility of cooperation deal
The ex-Florida tax collector with close ties to Rep. Matt Gaetz is planning to plead guilty on Monday in a federal court in Florida, according to a new filing Thursday.
Details of his plea agreement and whether Joel Greenberg will be cooperating with investigators against Gaetz in a wide-ranging sex trafficking probe aren’t yet public. Greenberg, indicted on dozens of public corruption and other charges, has signaled he wanted to flip on Gaetz. Gaetz has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
CNN has previously reported that Greenberg has been speaking with federal investigators since last year, including providing information about how he and Gaetz allegedly had encounters with women who were then given cash or gifts for sex.
He had previously pleaded not guilty and this spring has been in jail as he awaits trial. The court document made public on Thursday set the hearing for Monday to be a “change of plea.”
This story is breaking and will be updated with additional details.