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Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend was granted immunity in exchange for her grand-jury testimony, report says

Matt Gaetz
Rep. Matt Gaetz.AP
  • Prosecutors granted Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend immunity in exchange for her testimony, CBS reported.

  • A source told CBS Gaetz's ex had information about the DOJ's sex-trafficking and obstruction inquiries.

  • The Florida congressman has denied any wrongdoing.

Federal prosecutors have granted Rep. Matt Gaetz's former girlfriend immunity in exchange for her testimony, CBS News reported on Tuesday.

Gaetz's ex, whose name Insider is withholding to protect her privacy, last week testified before a grand jury as part of the Justice Department's federal sex-trafficking investigation into Gaetz.

She previously worked on Capitol Hill and was in an open relationship with Gaetz in 2017 and 2018. She also traveled with him and several others to the Bahamas in 2018 as part of a trip that has attracted investigators' scrutiny.

NBC reported last week that prosecutors were investigating whether Gaetz sex-trafficked a 17-year-old; whether he violated the Mann Act, which prohibits the transportation of "any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose" across state lines; and whether he obstructed justice.

One source told CBS News that the Florida congressman's ex-girlfriend had information related to the sex-trafficking investigation and the obstruction inquiry.

With respect to the obstruction probe, investigators are said to be scrutinizing a three-way call after the investigation started between Gaetz, his ex, and another woman who was cooperating with federal authorities and who was reportedly recording the phone call. NBC reported that authorities suspect Gaetz of obstructing justice during that conversation; he's denied the allegation.

The existence of the DOJ's investigation became public last March, when The New York Times reported that investigators were examining whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old in 2019 and paid for her to travel with him. The inquiry had been underway for several months.

One person familiar with the conversations told The Times that Gaetz told some women to say that he paid for dinners and hotel rooms as part of their dates if anyone asked about the nature of their relationships.

People familiar with the encounters also told The Times that some of the men and women, including Gaetz, took MDMA before having sex and that in some cases the Florida lawmaker asked the women to find others who may want to have sex with him and his friends.

Prosecutors notched a significant victory last May when Gaetz's friend and longtime associate Joel Greenberg struck a plea deal and formally agreed to cooperate with the federal inquiry into Gaetz.

The Times reported that Greenberg had given prosecutors information about an "array of topics" since he began cooperating in 2020, including telling them that he and Gaetz had interactions with women who were given cash and gifts in exchange for sex.

Gaetz and his father have confirmed the existence of the investigation. He has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing. He's also suggested that the department's investigation into him is part of a multimillion-dollar extortion scheme targeting his family.

Read the original article on Business Insider