From the NYT:
A former local official in Florida indicted in the Justice Department investigation that is also focused on Representative Matt Gaetz has been providing investigators with information since last year about an array of topics, including Mr. Gaetz’s activities, according to two people briefed on the matter.
Joel Greenberg, a onetime county tax collector, disclosed to investigators that he and Mr. Gaetz had encounters with women who were given cash or gifts in exchange for sex, the people said. The Justice Department is investigating the involvement of the men with multiple women who were recruited online for sex and received cash payments and whether the men had sex with a 17-year-old in violation of sex trafficking statutes, people familiar with the inquiry have said.
Mr. Greenberg, who is said to have met the women through websites that connect people who go on dates in exchange for gifts, fine dining, travel and allowances and introduced them to Mr. Gaetz, could provide investigators with firsthand accounts of their activities.
Mr. Greenberg began speaking with investigators once he realized that the government had overwhelming evidence against him and that his only path to leniency lay in cooperation, the people said. He has met several times with investigators to try to establish his trustworthiness, though the range of criminal charges against him — including fraud — could undermine his credibility as a witness.
Emphasis mine.
Once again, the official Justice Department response to this story is, “No comment.”
But the subtle — or not so subtle — difference between this and other recent stories about Greenberg is that he is already cooperating with federal investigators. The other stories were all about the potential of Greenberg spilling the beans on Matt Gaetz, but there has been no official plea deal announced with Greenberg.
Prosecutors often seek out cooperators in complex investigations where an insider’s account can help make their cases. Typically, the authorities meet with potential cooperators many times before formally agreeing to a plea deal to determine what information they have and whether they could serve as a witness against others.
Cooperators are expected to be fully forthcoming about their own and others’ criminality. If prosecutors conclude that they have lied, cooperating witnesses are likely to receive no deal and could even increase their own culpability. Those who cooperate earlier in investigations typically receive the best deals from the government because their help is seen as more critical to developing leverage against other defendants.
Mr. Greenberg faces a mandatory minimum of at least 12 years in prison: 10 years on the sex trafficking count and two on a charge of identity theft.
He is the only person who has been publicly charged in the investigation. F.B.I. agents are said to have questioned several women who had encounters with the men.
There was a report from MSNBC — I think it was Chris Hayes — that the woman (20 years old now) who was 17 years old when she had sex with Matt Gaetz does not want to cooperate. They added she has gone into the porn industry. Despite what some may think of sex workers, it would make some sense the young woman does not want to cooperate with the feds.
Some may profit from having sex with someone famous or powerful, but most sex workers do not turn their sexual activities into truly lucrative business opportunities.
But perhaps some of the other women who Gaetz and others had paid sex with may cooperate? And if Gaetz had sex with one 17 year old girl, you can bet there are others. And procuring such girls/women is something that a man who makes Jabba the Hutt look like a gentleman (Greenberg) would know how to do.
Unfortunately, this will all take time. And like many of you, I want Gaetz indicted already. Until then, stay tuned.