Federal investigators are investigating Matt Gaetz’s trip to the Bahamas with women and specifically whether those women were paid to travel for sex, which may violate federal law, have a law enforcement officer and another person familiar with the case said.
Investigators are also investigating whether Gaetz, R-Fla., And one of his associates used the Internet to search for women who could pay them for sex, the sources said.
Gaetz, who is not charged with any crime, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
There was no response to a request for comment sent to his representatives.
In a statement to CBS News, which first reported that investigators were investigating a trip to the Bahamas, a spokesman said Gaetz denied the insinuations.
“Rep. Gaetz has never paid for sex and has not had sex with an underage girl. What started with screaming headlines about ‘sex trafficking’ has now become a common fishing practice on holidays and consensus relationships with adults,” he said. the spokesman said.
The New York Times reported last week that the Department of Justice was investigating whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and that she paid to travel with him, citing three people who case has been informed.
Law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News that the investigation arose from an investigation into someone else, Joel Micah Greenberg, who is awaiting trial on charges of trafficking, stalking and identity fraud. Greenberg pleaded not guilty.
The night The Times reported his story, Gaetz said “none of the allegations against me are true” and claimed that his family were the victims of a $ 25 million extortion that threatened to smear his name.
Gaetz said in a report on Monday that he is not a criminal and that he will not resign.
“Since I’m taking my turn under the gun, I have to address the allegations against me directly. Firstly, I have never paid for sex. And secondly, as a grown man, I did not sleep with a 17-year-old. -old, ‘Gaetz wrote in the Washington Examiner.
He said the ‘bizarre’ claims were made after he ‘decided to tackle the most powerful institutions in the Beltway’.
