Rising GOP star Gaetz accused in sex probe
Florida congressman could face trafficking charge in connection to allegations involving a 17-yearold girl and out-of-state travel.
WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, a prominent Florida conservative in Congress and a close ally of former President Donald Trump, said Tuesday he is being investigated by the Justice Department over a former relationship but denied any criminal wrongdoing.
Gaetz is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paying her to travel with him, and he is under investigation to determine if he violated federal sex trafficking laws, a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press.
The probe has been underway for nearly a year and Gaetz has been aware for months that he was under investigation, the person said. The Justice Department has also been looking into whether Gaetz, 38, may have also been involved in relationships with other underage girls, the person said.
Gaetz told Axios that his lawyers were informed that he was the subject of an investigation “regarding sexual conduct with women,” but that he was not a target of the probe. He denied that he ever had a relationship with any underage girls and said the allegations against him were “as searing as they are false.”
A subject is conventionally thought of as someone whose actions fall within the scope of a criminal investigation, whereas a target is someone whom prosecutors have gathered evidence linking to a crime. But during the course of an investigation, a subject can become a target.
Gaetz’s comments came shortly after The New York Times first reported the investigation. It is a federal crime to transport a minor over state lines for sex.
“No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation,” he said.