Florida Bar Dismisses Criminal Charges Against Matt Gaetz for Alleged Sexual Misconduct of Minors

SEATTLE – After months of investigation into a sex trafficking scandal that linked Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to attending “drug-fueled” sex parties with minors, the Florida Bar has dismissed criminal charges against Gaetz.

Gaetz has been under investigation for some time after he was rumored to be involved in a sex trafficking scandal in 2017 in which he allegedly engaged in “sexual activity” with a then-17-year-old girl at a party.

The Florida congressman has long denied any involvement or wrongdoing. Last year, the Justice Department declined to file charges against Gaetz after years of investigation. According to an ABC News source familiar with the investigation, one of the reasons was that prosecutors feared a jury would not convict him because it would be difficult to prove that Gaetz and others knew the minor was underage at the time.

The criminal complaint against Gaetz dismissed by the Florida Bar was filed in late September by Chaz Stevens, a South Florida activist. The case was discussed in the Florida Bar because it did not relate to Representative Gaetz’s conduct as an attorney and could appear politically motivated.

The Florida Bar agreed in its dismissal letter that “in order to discipline an attorney who has engaged in criminal conduct, a court of appropriate jurisdiction must find that the attorney has actually committed a criminal offense.”

During the investigation, Gaetz presented evidence intended to show that he and his family were being blackmailed by former Department of Justice (DOJ) official David McGee, with former Gaetz ally Joel Greenberg serving as an accomplice.

Greenberg was once a close ally of Gaetz until he was charged and convicted of sex trafficking of minors in 2020. The former Seminole County tax collector is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence.

In early October, Gaetz said he would no longer volunteer to participate in the House ethics investigation, calling a separate probe “political retaliation.” He also reiterated his denial of ever having sex with a minor.

“Your correspondence dated September 4 asks whether I have engaged in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18. The answer to this question is clearly NO. You can apply this answer to any version of this question in any forum,” Gaetz said.

David Rothman, a defense attorney, said sanctions could still be imposed against Gaetz, but mentioned that it is very rare for an allegation of criminal conduct against a lawyer to become a bar case without a criminal investigation and prosecution being initiated .

But even though Gaetz appears to have approved the Florida Bar’s investigation, he is still facing investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

Just a few days ago, on October 15, the committee recently issued a subpoena for documents from the civil lawsuit against Gaetz. The subpoena requests all documents related to the case, including witness statements and affidavits.

Back in July, the House Ethics Committee said it had stopped reviewing certain allegations, including whether Gaetz’s government identification cards were misused or whether bribes or improper benefits were accepted. However, the investigation also found other allegations that “deserve further review.”

The committee said it would continue to examine claims that Gaetz “committed sexual misconduct and illegal drug use” and that he “attempted to obstruct government investigations into his conduct.”