A new report from the U.S. House Ethics Committee details serious allegations against former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz, a staunch Trump supporter. According to the report, Gaetz allegedly spent tens of thousands of dollars on sex, drugs, and illicit encounters, including a claim of sexual activity with a minor in 2017. The young woman, who was finishing high school at the time, says she was paid $400 for the encounter but did not reveal her age to Gaetz. Investigators, however, believe this incident still violates Florida’s laws.
The committee’s draft report, obtained by CNN, states that there is substantial evidence showing Gaetz violated House rules and other ethical standards, including prohibitions on prostitution, drug use, bribery, and obstruction of Congress.
The report includes testimonies from over a dozen women who claim to have participated in events and parties organized by Gaetz and his associate Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County official currently serving a prison sentence for sex trafficking. These encounters were often arranged through the website SeekingArrangement.com, and many of the women reportedly received payments via PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp. Some women noted that heavy drug use during these events may have compromised their ability to consent.
One particular trip to the Bahamas in 2018 is mentioned in the report, where Gaetz is said to have engaged in sexual activities with multiple women. One of the women described the trip as “the reward.” During the trip, Gaetz allegedly used ecstasy, with a witness confirming the drug use. Additionally, Gaetz is said to have used a fake email address from his House office to purchase marijuana.
The committee also suggests that Gaetz’s then-girlfriend may have acted as an intermediary between Gaetz and the women, sometimes participating in the encounters herself.
Gaetz has consistently denied any involvement with minors, claiming that the financial transactions were simply acts of generosity toward women he was seeing.
“In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated – even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years,” Gaetz said. “It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”
The release of the report comes at a difficult time for Gaetz, who recently left Congress after his failed bid to become attorney general under the Trump administration.
