Court records say the ex-Florida tax collector who is facing a 33-count federal indictment alleging sexual and financial crimes is poised to plead guilty.
Joel Greenberg, the former Florida tax collector who is facing a 33-count federal indictment alleging sex trafficking and various financial crimes, is poised to plead guilty. That’s according to court records on file with the Orlando Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Greenberg’s attorney says his client’s friend, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.1), should be nervous about Greenberg’s planned guilty plea and its potential ramifications for Gaetz himself. That’s because guilty pleas of the magnitude being considered in Greenberg’s case frequently involve testimony against alleged co-conspirators. Reports by The New York Times and others have suggested Gaetz is also under investigation to determine whether he engaged in sex trafficking. Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing and has said he is the victim of an extortion scheme. A six-minute court hearing Thursday afternoon resulted in the following court entry in Greenberg’s case: “[t]he parties agree this case should resolve by guilty plea, and counsel for Defendant requests a plea date by May 15, 2021.” “Should a change of plea not occur, the parties agree to a July 2021 trial,” the document adds as contingent. Outside court, Greenberg’s attorney danced around questions about Gaetz’s legal jeopardy but then issued a rather blunt prediction on what he believed was to come.
