Rep. Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend testified before a federal grand jury on Wednesday in Orlando, Florida that is investigating him for sex crimes.
The Justice Department is hoping to determine whether Gaetz provided goods or payments to a 17-year-old girl in exchange for sex and whether months later he and others violated a federal law prohibiting transporting people across state lines for prostitution.
The ex-girlfriend's name has been withheld out of privacy by NBC News, who says she has been in talks for months with prosecutors about an immunity deal. "Under a possible deal, she would avoid prosecution for obstruction of justice in return for testifying in the investigation," according to NBC News.
Gaetz is reportedly being investigated for three specific crimes: sex trafficking the 17-year-old; violating the Mann Act, which prohibits taking women across state lines for prostitution; and obstructing justice.
He has not been charged with any crime and has denied all accusations. He has said that "he never paid for sex and never had sex with a minor when he was an adult."
Investigators started to seek evidence and testimony from Gaetz's ex-girlfriend in late 2020 and the F.B.I. seized her phone, according to two people familiar with the investigation per The New York Times.
One of Gaetz's former confidants, Joel Greenberg, is now cooperating with the investigation after pleading guilty to a series of charges last year, including sex trafficking a minor. He is reportedly the person who introduced Gaetz and his ex-girlfriend.
Gaetz is accused of having sex with the same minor as Greenberg. Multiple people have told investigators that Gaetz met his ex-girlfriend through Greenberg's website called SeekingArrangement, where wealthy people can find attractive partners and treat them to gifts and cash.
Investigators have also asked the ex-girlfriend if Gaetz has tried to dissuade potential witnesses from cooperating, according to people familiar with the situation.
The New York Times said that one of the main difficulties in prosecuting Gaetz "is the credibility of many of the key witnesses."
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