Former Congressman Gaetz Accused of Sex Trafficking in New Suit

Two women have sued former Rep. Matt Gaetz in federal court, alleging he took part in sex trafficking. The suit also names two other Florida men.

• 2017 through January 2019: the period of alleged incidents, per the complaint.
• 20 and 22: the women's ages when introduced to Gaetz, per the Miami Herald.
• Co-defendants: former state Rep. Chris Dorworth and ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg.
• 11 years: Greenberg's federal sentence after a 2021 guilty plea, including child sex trafficking.

Why it matters: The suit draws heavily on a House Ethics Committee investigation of Gaetz. That probe found evidence of payments to women for sex and drugs on at least 20 occasions.

• Those allegations led Gaetz to withdraw as Trump's attorney general pick in 2024.
• The women allege the defendants arranged their recruitment, payments, drugs and travel.

How 27 sources split on this story

Where they split: Gaetz says the suit rests on a one-sided congressional report and that much of it is false; the plaintiffs say the men used office and wealth to exploit them.

What’s next: The plaintiffs, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, are demanding a jury trial.

• Gaetz said, "I look forward to taking the plaintiffs' depositions because much of the conduct alleged against me is false."
• Reports conflict on the filing: Thursday and 38 pages, or Monday and 33 pages.
• Whether evidence beyond the House Ethics report will surface in discovery.
• Whether the women in the 2018 beach photo Gaetz shared are the plaintiffs, which he says he does not know.