ORLANDO, Fla. A newly released rap video celebrating Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz features an unlikely cameo: the estranged wife of former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg. Greenberg broke parole this month when he figured out his wife had decamped from their home to her mother's house 2 1/2 hours away. Per ABC News: Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, as part of his ongoing cooperation with prosecutors, has provided investigators with years of Venmo and Cash App transactions. His mother-in-law called the police. One is from 2017 with Roger Stone, the adviser to President Donald Trump who has his own history of legal imbroglios. Greenberg, a former Seminole County, Florida, tax collector, has been cooperating with prosecutors in the investigation into him and Gaetz since last year, and he struck a formal plea deal in May, pleading guilty to six felony counts of sex trafficking, wire fraud, identity theft, conspiracy, and stalking. No one wants to talk to me anymore, he said, with his voice breaking. A federal judge set an official sentencing date for disgraced, former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg. sleeping with a minor and transporting her across state lines. Now sex trafficking probes take aim at both. He now sits in jail, awaiting an expected plea deal and most likely a yearslong prison sentence. . DeSantis rules out COVID restrictions as cases rise | UCFs youngest full-time student is the daughter of immigrant parents | Become a News 6 Insider (its free!)]. If you would like to receive the Levin Report in your inbox daily, clickhereto subscribe. "I'm sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today," Greenberg's attorney, Fritz Scheller, told reporters after a court hearing in early April. For a time, he also hosted "The Joel Greenberg Show," a sports-themed talk radio show on WRSO 810 AM. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Orlando issued an arrest warrant for Greenberg for violating his probation. And they want someone who is not going to adhere to the dogma that has strangled progress in Washington, D.C., for a generation.. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Records and interviews detailed a litany of accusations: Mr. Greenberg strutted into work with a pistol on his hip in a state that does not allow guns to be openly carried. Joel Greenberg Providing Investigators With 'Thousands of Photos and Videos' Probably Doesn't Bode Well for Matt Gaetz. In the recording, Greenberg said: Hi, Anna and then handed off the phone to Gaetz, who told her that she is the future of the Democratic Party, Eskamani recalled. Two weeks later, Greenberg stood shackled in a federal courtroom in downtown Orlando, accused of stalking an election rival and identity theft. He has pleaded not guilty to those 14 previous charges. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. The other, from 2019, is at the White House with Chris Dorworth, a former Florida state representative. The media has tried to destroy a good mans reputation, he said of Mr. Trump, and in destroying that, they would destroy that which he represents: the ideas that you and I hold dear in our hearts, that we know is right and true., By June 2017, Mr. Gaetz floated the idea to a Tampa radio station that Mr. Greenberg could run for Congress. Greenberg also is accused of diverting more than $400,000 in public money from the tax collectors office into a private bank account and into a business he set up to buy and sell cryptocurrencies and machines used to mine cryptocurrencies. She got a bump on her head, the man said. Gaetz has not been charged with a crime and has denied all wrongdoing, claiming that the existence of the investigation into him was leaked to derail a separate investigation into a blackmail scheme targeting his family, with which they had been cooperating. Greenberg later surrendered after several hours of negotiation, the report said. Florida rapper. Greenberg was initially released on bond after his arrest in June but was jailed in early March after authorities said he violated his conditions of release by driving to South Florida to look for his wife. Home security footage showed that she had not hit him, the report said. Matt Gaetz is getting warnings he shouldn't feel 'very comfortable' from a goateed Florida lawyer who likes to quote the Dalai Lama. Joel is my shining star that needs more polishing, more buffing, she said. Read more: Rep. Matt Gaetz's legal drama is escalating. Joel Greenberg has gone into the Seminole County Tax Collectors Office, hes taken it by storm, Gaetz said in a radio interview in June 2017. Sunday morning, an officer said Greenberg showed up uninvited at his mother-in-law's home in Jupiter looking for his wife, who was not there at the time. Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole Count, Florida, tax collector. The former Seminole County Tax Collector was close with Gaetz. By Patricia Mazzei,Michael S. Schmidt and Katie Benner. Within days, one of the women crashed a vehicle into a tree near Mr. Greenbergs house, suffering minor injuries, according to a police report of the crash, which has not been previously reported. Greenberg later confirmed that he and Gaetz had been in the office that weekend in text messages to an employee. The federal case against Greenberg, who resigned from office the day after his initial arrest, has since ballooned. Amid all that, within a couple of years of taking office, Greenberg told a Sentinel reporter that he was bored with the office because it involved too much redundancy and offered little opportunity to be creative or break out into new business ventures. Patricia Mazzei reported from Lake Mary, Fla., and Michael S. Schmidt and Katie Benner from Washington. A month later, Greenberg posted a picture of himself, Gaetz, and Roger Stone to Twitter. (Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. It was Pirozzolo who allegedly paid for the travel expenses, accommodations . Did I leave something on?. Jantz could not immediately be reached for comment. Shes just very shaken.. Stalking a rival candidate got him arrested. But his term was quickly marred by controversies, including anti-Muslim social media posts, proposing to sell off tax collector properties, allowing his employees to openly carry guns, using his tax collector badge to pull over a speeder, using his position to try to get out of a ticket, giving lucrative contracts and positions to close friends and using his office to set up blockchain business. Anyone can read what you share. The same day, Greenberg posted a photo of Gaetz, Trump and first lady Melania Trump with Gaetz holding Greenberg's daughter. He resigned and dropped his bid for re-election. According to prosecutors, Greenberg abused his elected office, using his access to the Seminole County Tax Collectors Office to take surrendered driver licenses before they were shredded. He then used the surrendered driver licenses that he had taken to cause fake driver licenses to be produced that had his photograph but the personal information of the victims whose driver licenses he had taken.. In court papers, Abby Greenberg noted that her husband will be incarcerated for a significant number of years.. Theres a little cut on her head. Kids Were Marched Everywhere. Greenberg left his Heathrow home just before 5 a.m. Feb. 28 and drove to his mother-in-laws condo in Jupiter in search of Abby Greenberg, according to a police report. Orlando Sentinel staff writer Jason Garcia contributed to this report. Stay up to date with what you want to know. An arraignment is scheduled for April 9. Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. His name appeared on a burglary incident report when he was 18 and on an involuntary psychiatric commitment report when he was 21, but both reports were sealed, according to records unearthed in 2016 by WFTV, a local news station. Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service. Mr. Greenberg had little record to run on. Asked what he would like to be one day, he answered, I want to be a good person.. Kitty Bennett contributed research. A Guide to the Man Who Could Bring Down Matt Gaetz, official vehicle and ID to pull a woman over for speeding, posting anti-Muslim sentiment on Facebook, stalking and unlawful use of means of identification of another person, violating the curfew attached to his release, Tucker Carlson Bashes Fox Nation in Leaked Video. The U.S. A video posted on Facebook in January 2019, shot at a get-together at Dorworths Heathrow home, shows Greenberg alongside Gaetz and John Morgan, the wealthy attorney and medical marijuana advocate, as they celebrated Gov. And indications in court last week that he plans to plead guilty, suggesting he will cooperate with prosecutors, further prompted former friends to abandon him. Marshals with taking Greenberg into custody. The neighbor said the woman was calling a friend. I knew what it was for, said Sabatini, who indicated that he knows the rapper. His small-time position left him dissatisfied. Federal agents looking into the matter found at least five fake IDs in his wallet and backpack, and kept digging. Interviews with people in Seminole County who dealt with Mr. Greenberg and a review of news articles and public records from his past suggest that he was a wealthy but troubled teenager who drifted through young adulthood before turning to local politics five years ago and embracing Trumpism. Justice Department examination into Mr. Gaetz. He tested the boundaries of what he could get away with, until it all imploded. A background check revealed to Jupiter police that Greenberg was under federal probation. The Times has reported that both Gaetz and Greenberg made Cash App and Apple Pay payments to at least one of the women who has been questioned by the FBI. Youre a Schmuck: Arnold Schwarzenegger Tells People Refusing to Get Vaccinated and Mask Up to Go F--k Themselves, Screw your freedomwith freedom comes obligations and responsibilities.. In total, Greenberg is facing a total of 33 federal charges, for which he is awaiting trial in July. That included $5.5 million worth of stock in his familys business AWG Inc., $85,500 in jewelry and $276,000 in bank accounts. In March of this year, Greenberg was slapped with 21 new federal charges, including the alleged embezzlement of more than $400,000 in taxpayer money. Congressman to functions he may or may not attend is the everyday life of a political figure. However, that could be delayed. Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg is asking a judge to postpone his sentencing on child sex trafficking and other criminal charges until March 2022 so he can continue cooperating with federal authorities on other investigations, according to a newly filed court motion. Mr. Greenberg with his daughter and his wife, Abby, in 2019. Joel Greenberg (left) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (right). In a text message to a Sentinel reporter last July, Dorworth declined to discuss his relationship with Greenberg, saying only, Joel is a friend of mine. Dorworth, a partner with the lobbying firm Ballard Partners, did not respond to a text message this week asking if he is still friends with Greenberg. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz "repeatedly" boasted to people in Florida politics about women he met through former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, and showed off videos of nude women from . When The New York Times reported last month that Gaetz was under federal investigation over whether he engaged in the sex-trafficking of a 17-year-old girl, it noted that the inquiry sprung from a separate investigation into Greenberg. Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz's former right-hand man Joel Greenberg has given prosecutors years' worth of electronic cash transactions and "thousands" of pictures and videos as part of a broad sex-trafficking probe, sources told ABC News. Mr. Greenberg attended evening classes at Rollins College between 2005 and 2012 but never graduated, according to the school. In July, Scheller requested a 90-day delay in Greenberg's sentencing hearing, which was originally scheduled for August 19, because his client expected to cooperate further. Great catching up with @mattgaetz and @RogerJStoneJr pic.twitter.com/46SjAsiL42. In one photo, Gaetz beamed in sunglasses as he posed in front of Donald and Melania Trump, holding Greenbergs daughter in his arms. Hes taken it by storm, Gaetz said. When we last checked in with Matt Gaetz, things were going less than swimmingly for the Florida congressman. Two months after winning the Republican primary in August 2016 effectively clinching the office, since no Democrat was on the ballot he made the speaking lineup at a Trump rally in Sanford, Fla., bounding onto the airport tarmac stage in sunglasses before Mr. Trump arrived. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Mr. Greenberg with his daughter and his wife, Abby, in 2019. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. No one wants to talk to me anymore, Mr. Greenberg told The Orlando Sentinel in the fall. Its election day in Tampa. A standoff ensued, during which Greenberg claimed to have explosives and, at one point, opened his door and threw a bag of medication onto the driveway. When Mr. Greenberg was 15, he and his mother, Susan Greenberg, told a sports columnist for The Sentinel that he had benefited from the mentorship of an Orlando Magic basketball player, John Amaechi, who sometimes shot hoops with wayward teenage boys. Jeff Weiner is Content Director for Local News for the Orlando Sentinel. He pulled over a woman in 2017 while wearing shorts, a backward baseball cap and his tax collectors badge around his neck. That others might invite people unbeknownst to a U.S. She can also be seen in the background of at least one other shot as she appeared to mingle with other CPAC attendees. In the texts, Greenberg appears to discuss payment options and asks the woman, who was of legal age, if she would take drugs; he then sets up a get-together with himself, Gaetz, the woman, and one of her friends. The New York Times reported that the inquiry is focusing on Gaetz's and Greenberg's interactions with "multiple women who were recruited online for sex and received cash payments." He then asked whether she'd like to meet with him and Gaetz. So, theres a lot of overlap here, which, as Greenbergs attorney told reporters on Thursday, is plenty reason for Gaetz to feel uncomfortable as the prospect of Greenbergs cooperating with investigators looms. Joel Greenberg broke curfew to look for wife in, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The new OrlandoSentinel.com: FAQs and more, DeSantis oversight board votes to sue Disney, Joel Greenberg broke curfew to look for wife in South Florida, police report says, Big changes starting today in how mortgage fees are calculated, Condemned Florida killer asks U.S. Supreme Court for reprieve, Known for laughs, White House Correspondents dinner takes a turn and spotlights risks to journalism. Matt was never shy about talking about his relationship to Joel and the access to women that Joel provided him, said one of the people, who spoke to the newspaper on the condition of anonymity. Joel Greenberg is shown in police bodycam footage after driving 170 miles to his mother-in-law's apartment on February 28, looking for his wife. A few months into office, Mr. Greenberg was, according to an employee and others in his orbit, already bored. Deputies were called to a disturbance at the couples home late Nov. 13, a report states, after an argument between them in which Joel Greenberg falsely accused his wife of assaulting him. He was on bail for sex trafficking a minor at. In December 2017, he joined a group of Seminole residents pushing for a referendum to elect a countywide mayor, similar to the system in Orange County. Im sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable, Joel Greenbergs attorney Fritz Scheller said last year, shortly before Greenberg accepted the governments plea offer. Though Gaetz has reportedly attempted to distance himself from Greenberg over the last several months, he previously spoke of the guy in glowing terms, describing him as his wingman and floating the idea Greenberg should run for Congress. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. ", Hill went on to say that Gaetz addressed "the debunked allegations against him and their origin in an extortion plot during his Firebrand podcast episode last week. I have a friend flying in and we are trying to make plans for tonight. Mr. Greenberg and Mr. Gaetz met through the tight-knit group of prominent Trump backers in Florida in 2017, according to a person familiar with the matter. Gaetz has been a focus of at least one of those investigations, according to published reports. (Orlando Sentinel) A day after a federal magistrate ordered Joel Greenberg to remain in jail for violating his curfew, new details emerged as to why Jupiter police were called early Sunday for. DeSantis may not get all his immigration priorities despite sweeping bill, Seminole Heights serial killings case ends with guilty plea, 4 life sentences, Pasco Uber Eats driver killed, dismembered while delivering to home in Holiday, sheriff says, Charlie Miranda wins ninth Tampa City Council term in runoff. Hes the one who keeps me on my knees. The case has drawn national attention after it was reported last week by The New York Times that the investigation of Greenberg had led federal authorities to also target U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican and prominent ally of former President Donald Trump, for potential sex trafficking offenses. But he also appeared to ingratiate himself with Mr. Gaetz and others more privately as well: by soliciting women for sex on their behalf, sometimes in Ecstasy-fueled encounters, people familiar with the arrangements have said. Investigators began scrutinizing whether Gaetz violated federal sex-trafficking laws last year as part of their inquiry into Greenberg. The following year, he made headlines for posting anti-Muslim sentiment on Facebook and then claiming he doesnt have a racist or bigoted bone in my body and that he comes from a generation that doesnt see color. He courted more controversy in 2019 when he sought to get out of a speeding ticket by citing his job. He solicited help to hack critics on the county commission. A confession letter written by Joel Greenberg in the final months of the Trump presidency claims that he and close associate Rep. Matt Gaetz paid for sex with multiple women as well as a girl . A peek into the lives of the future First Sons. He tried to talk his way out of a traffic ticket, asking a police officer for professional courtesy. He played police officer himself, putting a flashing light on his car to pull over a woman and accuse her of speeding. Joel Greenberg, a onetime local official in Florida, is accused of an array of crimes, including bribery, stalking and corruption. It took hours for the police to take him into custody. Last month, in a series of posts on TikTok, Gaetzs future sister-in-law, Roxanne Luckey, told followers her sisters fiance is a literal pedophile, before saying that the better word would be ephebophilia,i.e., a person who is attracted to mid-to-late adolescents. Their inquiry culminated in 33 federal charges against Mr. Greenberg, 36, including sex trafficking of a minor, bribery, fraud and stalking and led to a mushrooming political scandal that burst into national news in recent days and ensnared Mr. Gaetz, who is a close ally of President Donald J. Trump, and other influential Florida Republicans, with the investigation continuing. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Seminole is a suburban county of about half a million people northeast of Orlando. Ron DeSantis, a Republican close to Mr. Gaetz, had overturned a ban on smokable medical marijuana. Additional Facebook messages reviewed by ABC News paint a similar picture, showing Greenberg appearing to organize a gathering in July 2018 that included Gaetz and women the former tax collector had allegedly been paying for sex, at the home of Jason Pirozzolo, a Florida hand doctor who founded a medical marijuana advocacy group and,according to reports, allegedly accompanied Gaetz on a 2018 trip to the Bahamas that investigators are scrutinizing. Auditors found that Greenberg also used taxpayer money on body armor, weapons, ammo, and a drone with thermal imaging capabilities. According to state financial disclosure forms required from all elected officials, Joel Greenberg listed his worth at the of end of 2019 at nearly $5.9 million. "Mr. Greenberg has been cooperating with the government and has participated in a series of proffers. The Daily Beast later reported on more damning Venmo transactions between Gaetz and Greenberg and from Greenberg to young women, including a 17-year-old. Moments later, an unidentified man could be heard on the callers end of the line. Greenberg is facing trial in federal court and was. Mr. Greenberg relished hobnobbing with the well-connected: He spoke at a Trump campaign rally in 2016 and was invited to the White House three years later. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? They gathered at Mr. Dorworths home in January 2019 to celebrate that Gov. To top it off, Greenberg has been accused of re-establishing businesses hed shut down in order to get apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans, and then attempting to bribe Small Business Administration employees into helping him scam his way into getting Covid-19 relief money. He has repeatedly denied ever having paid for sex or had sex with an underage person as an adult. State Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat, also recalled Greenberg telling her he was bored with the job. The Daily Beast reported last week that in May 2018 Gaetz sent Greenberg $900 through Venmo with a message hit up _____, the blank being a nickname for a woman who had turned 18 less than six months before the transaction. Former tax collector tied to U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz steeped in controversy before criminal charges, Former Seminole Tax Collector Joel Greenberg facing sex trafficking charges, Audit: Joel Greenberg misused Seminole taxpayer dollars on body armor, cryptocurrency servers, more, Pam Bondi: Seminole Tax Collector Joel Greenberg and staff shouldnt open carry guns, Seminole tax collector Joel Greenberg accused of soliciting hacker to attack county computers, Joel Greenberg stole identities of customers at Seminole tax collectors office, feds say, Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg gives $3.5 million in consultant contracts, salaries to friends and associates | Commentary, Joel Greenberg out as Seminole tax collector, but his friends remain on public payroll, Sheriffs report: Joel Greenberg confronted husband of Seminole Tax Collector candidate at early-voting site, Seminole Tax Collector Joel Greenberg budgets $106K on travel much more than Orange, Lake and Osceola, Seminole Tax Collector Joel Greenberg asks for professional courtesy after ticketed for speeding, Joel Greenbergs attorney calls stalking, identity theft charges against former tax collector unconstitutional, Joel Greenbergs blockchain venture used public money: county conducting audit. Greenberg also allegedly used taxpayer money to buy sports memorabilia, including gear signed by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. She added that Greenberg tracked her using her Snapchat social media account. Joel Greenberg has been cooperating with federal prosecutors in their ongoing probe into Gaetz.He has delayed his sentencing several times in order to provide more information to federal . Heres what we know so far about Greenbergs case, and where the Trump-loving Florida congressman fits into this sordid story of sex, corruption, and cryptocurrency: Greenberg was arrested in June of 2020 on stalking charges, and has since been slapped with a total of 33 federal charges. Mr. Greenberg made the speaking lineup at a Trump rally in Sanford, Fla., in 2016. 2023 Cond Nast. Not even President Biden can say that. At the time, he was under an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and not allowed to travel outside the Middle District of Florida, which stretches across the state from the Fort Myers area to Jacksonville. We want to hear it. As Greenberg was discussing payment for the get-together, the woman asked if Gaetz used the same website Greenberg had used to meet her. Joel Greenberg and his estranged wife, Abby Greenberg, are now officially divorced after a circuit judge on Monday finalized the couple's break up, according to court documents obtained by. In the latest and fourth indictment filed by the U.S. attorneys office this week, prosecutors say that Greenberg just days after he was arrested on the initial stalking charges, which was quickly followed by his resignation from public office restarted two of his former companies and used them to obtain more than $432,000 in fraudulent loans meant to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Staff have no idea what she did, the auditor wrote. Greenberg's mother-in-law emphatically told police he was . Greenberg then became active in Seminole politics. A day after a federal magistrate ordered Joel Greenberg to remain in jail for violating his curfew, new details emerged as to why Jupiter police were called early Sunday for an incident involving the former Seminole County tax collector. The world he built quickly fell apart when he was first indicted in June. Though he was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation after making suicide threats, the Sheriffs Office confirmed he was not placed under Floridas Baker Act, which allows for a person who is determined to be a threat to themselves or others to be temporarily admitted for mental health assessment. Can we coexist? A former Seminole County, Florida, tax collector, Greenberg has been charged with everything from sex crimes to buying sports memorabilia with taxpayer money. In the never-ending saga of Florida Man Matt Gaetz and his associate Joel Greenberg, another name has emerged: Jason Pirozzolo. In the Matt Gaetz music video, Abby Greenberg is seen standing next to Florida State Representative Anthony Sabatini. Greenberg was initially arrested in June 2020 for alleged attempts to cause substantial emotional distress to a music teacher who had filed to run against Greenberg. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider These are the 9 key people to watch. Eskamani, the state representative who had previously feuded with Greenberg over his anti-Muslim social media comments, recalled receiving a voice mail from Greenberg on July 4, 2019. The woman responded by telling Greenberg she has a friend who introduced me to the website that I could bring and said she usually requires $400 per meet. Greenberg then sent the woman a photo of Gaetz taking a selfie with students at Pea Ridge Elementary from a 2017 visit, and wrote, My friend, indicating that Gaetz would be the friend joining him. He surrendered after hours of negotiation. Gaetz made no secret of his friendship with Greenberg, posing for a picture with him at the White House and repeatedly tagging him on his Twitter account or retweeting posts with his name,. The divorce case remains open and unresolved. He even spoke at a Trump rally in Sanford, Florida, in late 2016.
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