Joel Greenberg, a close associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), is set to plead guilty on Monday in a criminal case tied to the federal sex-trafficking investigation of the Republican lawmaker and Trump ally.
According to court records, Greenberg is scheduled to appear Monday morning in federal court in Orlando, Florida, for a change of plea hearing - an indication that he has reached a deal after reportedly working with federal authorities since last year.
Greenberg, who had previously pleaded not guilty, currently faces a 33-count indictment on a number of crimes. Since his initial arrest last June, the indictment has expanded from stalking and identity theft to include charges of stealing from the tax office he once led in Florida and sex trafficking a minor.
The Thursday court filing does not provide details of which charges Greenberg will plead guilty to, or the conditions of his agreement. However, two sources familiar with the investigation have said Greenberg will most likely not be able to shake off the sex trafficking charge, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, if convicted.
What Does this Mean for Matt Gaetz?
As part of the deal, Greenberg will cooperate with investigators in the wide-ranging probe, according a source familiar with the matter, CNN reported.
This would turn Greenberg into a valuable asset for the government, which could spell trouble for Gaetz, who is currently under investigation for breaking federal sex trafficking laws over his alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and whether he paid for her to travel with him. He is also being examined for prostitution and public corruption laws.
Greenberg's Confession Letter
In a confession letter Greenberg wrote late last year to Roger Stone in an attempt to secure a pardon from then-President Trump, he laid out in detail how he had set up paid sex encounters for Gaetz.
As previously reported, Greenberg admitted in the letter that "From time to time, gas money or gifts, rent or partial tuition payments were made to several of these girls, including the individual who was not yet 18," Greenberg wrote in the handwritten letter.
"I did see the acts occur firsthand and Venmo transactions, Cash App or other payments were made to these girls on behalf of the Congressman," he added, referring to Gaetz.
Records obtained by The Daily Beast show that Greenberg paid more than 40 women through Venmo and Cash App, spending more than $100,000 over two years. Documents also suggest that Gaetz paid Greenberg on Venmo at least three times. In one payment, Gaetz even put "Hit up ___" in the memo field with a nickname for the girl that Greenberg said he and Gaetz had sex with.
Although Gaetz has acknowledged the sex trafficking investigation, he has continued to maintain that he did not have sex with an underage teen.
