U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) reportedly has been subpoenaed in a civil case against a young woman, involving allegations he had sex with her while she was an underaged 17-year old girl, according to ABC News. The case was brought by a friend of Gaetz.
“Gaetz was issued the subpoena, which has not been previously reported, by attorneys representing the woman who is now in her 20s and was at the center of a years-long investigation by the Justice Department into allegations that the Florida congressman had sex with her when she was a minor, sources said,” ABC adds.
The case “is part of a sprawling defamation and racketeering lawsuit brought by Gaetz’s longtime friend, former Florida House member and lobbyist Chris Dorworth, against the woman and others.”
ABC also reports that “Dorworth alleged in the lawsuit a complicated effort to falsely accuse him of ‘child sex trafficking, sex with a minor, prostitution, obstruction of justice, and an illegal ghost candidate scheme,’ according to the suit.”
Citing court documents, ABC News adds that “Dorworth filed a lawsuit last year against Gaetz’s one-time associate Joel Greenberg, who in 2022 was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to several charges including sex trafficking a minor, members of his wealthy family, and the woman Gaetz allegedly had sex with when she was a minor.”
Lawyers for the young woman, identified only as “A.B.”, have filed a motion to dismiss that reads: “Mr. Dorworth seeks to recast A.B. as Mr. Greenberg’s partner in crime and a participant in a conspiracy to destroy Mr. Dorworth’s reputation … the Complaint improperly seeks to preempt any claims A.B. may have against Mr. Dorworth for raping and trafficking her by making a threadbare request for expansive declaratory judgment.”
ABC News’ Will Steakin adds on X: “The deposition set for April 5th could see Gaetz asked under oath about his alleged sexual activity with the woman when she was a minor.”
Greenberg’s attorney has also filed a motion to dismiss that alleges the lawsuit “approaches the incredible, if not ludicrous.”
Read ABC News’ full report here.
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