Sources Say Feds Are Not Done With Matt Gaetz
Eight people with direct knowledge of the probe confirmed that the case is still unfolding—albeit at a methodical pace—as federal prosecutors work their way across a number of SPOKES of possible criminality.
Hub-and-Spokes? 👀
SPOKES... 🤔
A hub-and-spoke conspiracy is a legal construct or doctrine of US antitrust & criminal law. In such a conspiracy, several parties ("spokes") enter into an unlawful agreement w/a leading party ("hub").
Ask @glennkirschner2 about it.
While each zone has its own sets of witnesses, subjects, and targets, all of it spirals out from one man: a crooked local tax official and Gaetz’s former “wingman,” Joel Greenberg.
Defense attorneys for witnesses and subjects who have recently enjoyed a quiet season said they expect to hear from prosecutors again. Some have struck agreements for advance notice of charging decisions.
That day, if it comes, is likely still months off. Attorneys said prosecutors will take extreme steps to avoid the appearance of interfering w/the midterms & expected any announcements involving Gaetz would likely come several weeks after the Nov election.
Monday a judge handed down a 5y prison sentence to Stephen Alford, who attempted to defraud Gaetz. Alford somehow caught wind of the sex trafficking probe & promised Gaetz a pardon in exchange for $25mil
Why did Roger Stone have Alford on his pardon list?
The investigation into Gaetz himself is only one item in an expanding queue. The probe of Greenberg alone has uncovered so many layers of public corruption in Central Florida that investigators have had to peel them apart one by one:
From illicit real estate deals; embezzlement of federal COVID19 paycheck assistance; a local Republican scheme to run ghost candidates; a public corruption plot involving a number of powerful state figures; and the sex trafficking investigation.
While Greenberg was angling for a presidential pardon, he wrote a confession letter—detailing the way Gaetz would use him as a middleman to pay for sex w/young girls.
#Vintage99
Matt Gaetz was accompanied by two women at a Florida Republican Lincoln Gala. One witness said to me that "what they were wearing, well, they stuck out like a sore thumb".
In May, the region’s state attorney charged Seminole County Rep Party chair #BenParis & 2 others for hatching a scheme to run a ghost candidate. The operation drew votes away from the Dem & propelled Gaetz & DeSantis ally #JasonBrodeur to the state senate
In January, Handberg’s team of local federal prosecutors secured a guilty plea from a tag-along to the alleged Gaetz-Greenberg underage sex trafficking: a former radio shock jock and Greenberg associate named “Big Joe” Ellicott.
Before that, Gaetz’s ex testified before a grand jury under an immunity deal. Considered witness to possible obstruction charges against Gaetz had feared the teen at the center had taped her in convos w/Gaetz & other women—around time agents seized phones.
In Nov. 2021, 2mos before Gaetz’s ex-girlfiend testified, Handberg’s team indicted 2 Greenberg associates for fleecing an investor out of $12mil in a real estate fraud scheme, yet another example of the many corruption cases bogging down investigators
High-ranking prosecutors at DOJ’s HQ in D.C.—Todd Gee & Lauren Britsch—have led the Gaetz portion.
Federal prosecutors in Orlando—Roger Handberg, Jennifer Harrington & Amanda Daniels—continue to investigate elements of OVERLAPPING crime rings.
“We know there are dozens of others involved in drug-fueled sex parties & other criminal financial schemes. If at the end of the day only 2-3 people are held to account, that would be a real miscarriage of justice & transparency,” said David Bear.
According to the sources, this previously unreported action involved interviews w/possible witnesses & subjects in connection to another SPOKE of the Gaetz case—an alleged public corruption scheme to influence marijuana policy, involving state officials.
Medical Marijuana Pay-to-Play
#BallardPartners #ChrisDorworth
Federal prosecutors with the DOJ’s public integrity unit are reportedly examining whether a group of men provided gifts including marijuana & prostitutes during a 2018 trip to the Bahamas in exchange for political favors.
#Trulieve #BallardPartners
From the indictment. Just saying
For more on the Gaetz-berg Story, you can revisit my chat with @gregolear on his exceptional Prevail Podcast.
Link: open.spotify.com/episode/4Dc8n3…
x.com/gregolear/stat…
Honestly, I have so much background that the media doesn't have, or has decided not to discuss that I can't even put it all in one thread.
There's a vast criminal conspiracy in Florida. Joel Greenberg may just be someone who can lead prosecutors to the top, like Ron DeSantis top.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.
