Ex-Rep. Gaetz accused of supplying women with drugs for sex

Key Points:

• Two women have filed a federal civil lawsuit accusing former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and two associates, Joel Greenberg and Christopher Dorworth, of participating in a sex trafficking scheme involving drugs and interstate travel from 2017 to 2019.
• The complaint alleges that Greenberg recruited vulnerable young women through SeekingArrangement.com, supplied them with drugs, and introduced them to Gaetz and Dorworth for paid sexual encounters, with Gaetz also accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl.
• Gaetz denies the allegations, stating the lawsuit relies mainly on a Congressional Committee report that did not allow him to confront his accusers, and he looks forward to depositions to challenge the claims.
• The lawsuit incorporates findings from a bipartisan House Ethics Committee investigation that found substantial evidence of Gaetz violating laws and House rules, including paying for sex with a minor, drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstructing the investigation.
• Despite resigning from Congress in 2024 amid the scandal, Gaetz has returned to public service in a state board role and hosts a media show, while the lawsuit seeks damages from Greenberg’s affiliated businesses and aims to hold the defendants accountable.