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George II

(67,782 posts)
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 01:42 PM Apr 2021

Matt Gaetz associate likely to strike cooperation deal with federal government, attorneys say

Source: CNN

Orlando (CNN)Joel Greenberg, a key figure in the ongoing investigation into Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, is likely to strike a plea deal with federal prosecutors, his attorney and prosecutors said in court Thursday.

Federal government lawyers and Greenberg's attorney told a judge the deal was not finalized but there is an expectation that within the next couple of months it could be resolved.

"We believe this case will be a plea," the federal attorney told the judge.

A deal would put pressure on Gaetz, as Greenberg would have to share what he knows about his friend and associate.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/08/politics/greenberg-gaetz/index.html



Posted on CNN's "Breaking News" page.

Gaetz soon will have a serious problem to deal with.
11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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BumRushDaShow

(127,262 posts)
2. WaPo just dropped their breaking
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 02:08 PM
Apr 2021
Gaetz associate likely to strike plea deal with prosecutors in sex trafficking case



By Barbara Liston and Matt Zapotosky
April 8, 2021 at 1:32 p.m. EDT

ORLANDO — An associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) who had been charged with sex trafficking of a minor and was suspected of connecting the congressmen to women with whom he could have sex is in plea negotiations to resolve the allegations against him, according to his lawyer and a prosecutor on the case, a potentially ominous sign for Gaetz if the associate ultimately cooperates with prosecutors in a bid for leniency.

Joel Greenberg, the former tax collector for Seminole County, Fla., had first been charged last summer in a bare-bones indictment that prosecutors repeatedly superseded to add charges of sex trafficking of a minor, stealing from the tax office and even trying to use fraud to get covid-19 relief money while out on bond. In the course of the investigation into his conduct, people familiar with the matter have said, federal authorities came across evidence that Gaetz might have committed a crime and launched a separate investigation into him.

At a status conference in the case Thursday, federal prosecutor Roger Handberg told a judge he expected the case to end in a plea, though negotiations are ongoing. Fritz Scheller, an attorney for Greenberg, asked the judge to set a deadline of May 15 for the two sides to either reach a deal, or move toward a trial in the summer.It was not immediately clear how far the negotiations had gotten, or to what extent a plea agreement would require Greenberg to cooperate with investigators. If prosecutors were to get Greenberg on their side as a cooperator, it is possible he could help bolster the case against Gaetz, a higher-profile target.

A person who pleads guilty in a criminal case can often lessen their potential penalty by providing information that might be helpful to investigators in other matters. Gaetz, known for his fierce allegiance to former president Donald Trump, would boast to people in Florida politics that he met women through Greenberg, and he also showed them videos on his phone of naked or topless women on multiple occasions, including at parties with Greenberg, people familiar with the matter have said.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/matt-gaetz-joel-greenberg-plea-deal/2021/04/08/a1da46ca-965d-11eb-b28d-bfa7bb5cb2a5_story.html
 

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)
5. I'm not going to get too excited about this given the actual text of the article
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 05:35 PM
Apr 2021
It was not immediately clear how far the negotiations had gotten, or to what extent a plea agreement would require Greenberg to cooperate with investigators. If prosecutors were to get Greenberg on their side as a cooperator, it is possible he could help bolster the case against Gaetz, a higher-profile target


That a whole lot of 'ifs' right there.

Plea deals often happen because it would cost a lot to bring the court case, and prosecutors aren't as certain of winning as they would prefer given the costs involved.

For similar reasons to why I voted 'never' in the poll about how long til Gaetz would resign from Congress posted last week, I'm counting 0 chickens aside from "Greenberg is going to do some time".

Very much still in wait and see mode before I'd make other predictions.

Been here TOO MANY times for that

George II

(67,782 posts)
6. There have been several reports since on both MSNBC and CNN. It looks like it's definite, and even..
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 06:41 PM
Apr 2021

...if Greenberg doesn't flip on Gaetz, he has to tell the truth. And now it's looking like Gaetz showed those pictures to 8 people, and they're not going to lie for Gaetz.

There are too many charges (I believe 33 or in that vicinity?) to be too lenient with Greenberg.

Plus, the trip to the Bahamas with a young girl is part of the investigation. This is not going away.

But you're right, this could wind up anywhere from nothing to life in prison.

 

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)
8. "Plus, the trip to the Bahamas with a young girl is part of the investigation?"
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 07:10 PM
Apr 2021

I'd not heard of this (heard of the Bahamas trip, but not the young girl). Do you have a link?

"...if Greenberg doesn't flip on Gaetz, he has to tell the truth."

Pretty sure anything (legal) could be part of any plea agreement, including an agreement to not be asked questions about thing XYZ, or Person X.

"And now it's looking like Gaetz showed those pictures to 8 people, and they're not going to lie for Gaetz."

If the worst thing that happens to Gaetz is he's busted for showing nude pics to other pervs on the House floor, I'm going to be pretty disappointed.

"There are too many charges (I believe 33 or in that vicinity?) to be too lenient with Greenberg."

Not sure whether that's pertinent to the question of whether Greenberg turns State's on Gaetz.

George II

(67,782 posts)
9. Some of the various offenses are here, but his Bahamas trip didn't involve underaged girls.
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 07:26 PM
Apr 2021
https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/08/politics/matt-gaetz-bahamas/index.html

No doubt any plea deal would include Greenberg explaining exactly what he and Gaetz and apparently some other men did together and with drugs, etc.

 

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)
11. The totality of that article suggests to me Gaetz will plead it down to illegal campaign donations
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 08:04 PM
Apr 2021

And pay a decent sized fine.

Probably out of his campaign donations.

I remain entirely unconvinced he's going to end up in any serious trouble based on anything I've read, including not leaving Congress.

Esp. considering his base (Cult45) are a complete bunch of degenerates.

You heard it here first.

Or maybe not first, but ... again.

Ford_Prefect

(7,817 posts)
7. My thought is there might be more than Gaetz at stake here and Greenberg has more to tell
Thu Apr 8, 2021, 06:51 PM
Apr 2021

about others in the chain of trafficking and money connections.

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