Matt Gaetz ‘sex trafficker wingman’ Joel Greenberg ‘stole $432,700 of COVID-19

Matt Gaetz‘s alleged sex trafficker wingman Joel Greenberg has been accused of pocketing $432,700 in fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans that he applied for after being arrested for identity theft. 

The disgraced former Seminole County tax collector fraudulently applied for and successfully received three separate payments under a government scheme set up to help businesses struggling during the pandemic, according to the federal indictment and first reported by The Daily Beast.

The Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) were said to have been granted for two businesses he owned – DG3 Enterprises and Greenberg Media Group – which had actually not been in operation for four years.

Greenberg was slapped with six charges over the alleged fraudulent loans, including defrauding the government, bribing a government official, theft, and wire fraud.

In total, he is facing a slew of 33 charges including sex trafficking a minor and is said to have been cooperating with Justice Department investigators amid their probe into him and Florida congressman Gaetz. Greenberg is due to face trial in June. 

Last month, it was revealed that Gaetz is under investigation for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old girl and trafficking her across state lines. 

Investigators are also looking into allegations he paid women for ecstasy-fueled sex at Florida hotels after being introduced to them by Greenberg.  

Gaetz has repeatedly denied having sex with a 17-year-old and said he has never paid for sex. He has not been charged with any crime. 

Matt Gaetz’s apparent wingman Joel Greenberg (above) has been accused of pocketing $432,700 in fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans that he applied for after being arrested for identity theft

Greenberg allegedly first applied for an EIDL on June 24 – the same day he resigned from his role as Seminole County tax collector and just one day after he was arrested on charges of identity theft and stalking a political opponent.

In the loan application, he claimed the businesses had 12 staff members on their payroll and had suffered massive losses of $1.2 million in revenue amid the pandemic, according to prosecutors. 

In fact, the two businesses that had been defunct since 2016 – several years before the pandemic started ravaging the economy and grinding businesses to halt.

He also lied on the application that he was not under criminal indictment at the time, prosecutors say.

To help him secure the loan, Greenberg also allegedly enlisted the help of an unnamed so-called ‘Recruiter Conspirator’.

The co-conspirators then allegedly bribed a newly hired Small Business Administration official to help him get around the rules and regulations in place to prevent people getting their hands on the loans fraudulently.  

This unidentified staff member was allegedly paid $3,000 via CashApp to ensure the loan was processed while his co-conspirator received $16,000. 

Two days after making the fraudulent application, Greenberg received a loan of $132,900 through the scheme.

He then reinstated DG3 Enterprises and Greenberg Media Group two days later, the Beast reported. 

Less than one month later, Greenberg applied for two further EIDLs, both of which were also approved, granting him around $300,000 more in payments, according to the outlet.   

Greenberg is pictured with Roger Stone and Gaetz after having dinner together in 2017. The disgraced former Seminole County tax collector fraudulently applied for and successfully received three separate payments under the EIDL, say prosecutors 

Matt Gaetz at the House Armed Services Committee hearing in the Rayburn Building on April 20. Last month, it was revealed that Gaetz is under investigation for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old girl and trafficking her across state lines

In total, prosecutors say Greenberg stole $432,700 from the government pot set aside for hard-hit businesses, with federal investigators demanding he repay the funds.  

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