A former Florida tax collector and close associate of Rep.Matt Gaetz(R-Fla.) is facing a 45-page federal indictment alleging wire fraud, sex trafficking, and a litany of other offenses connected to the alleged abuse of his office and other crimes. That former tax collector,Joel Greenberg, is suspected of being a possible cooperating witness against Gaetz,Politicoand others have recently reported, as Gaetz faces areported inquiryintohis own sexual behavior.
“As set out herein, JOEL MICAH GREENBERG used his position as Seminole County Tax Collector to engage in, and facilitate, the commission of federal offenses, including sex trafficking of a child, illegally obtaining personal information from a motor vehicle record, unlawful use of a means of identification of another person, illegally producing identification and false identification documents, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and money laundering,” the latest charging document begins. “JOEL MICAH GREENBERG also stalked a political opponent. After his arrest in this case, and while he was on conditions of release, JOEL MICAH GREENBERG conspired with an employee of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and another individual to submit false claims for Economic Injury Disaster Loans and to bribe the SBA employee.”
Count 1 – Sex Trafficking of a Child – November 2017 – victim between 14 and 18 years old. Count 2 – Driver’s Privacy Protection Act Violations – September 4, 2017 – Minor Victim. Count 3 – Driver’s Privacy Protection Act Violations – November 18, 2017 – Victim R.Z. Count 4 – Unlawful Use of Means of Identification of Another Person – September 4, 2017 – Minor Victim. Count 5 – Production of an Identification Document – November 11, 2015 – Victim R.Z. Count 6 – Aggravated Identity Theft – November 11, 2015 – Victim R.Z. Count 7 – Production of Identification and False Identification Documents – sometime between November 11, 2017 and June 23, 2020 – Victim R.Z. (with Greenberg’s photograph). Count 8 – Production of Identification and False Identification Documents – sometime between September 21, 2018 and June 23, 2020 – Puerto Rico driver’s license of victim E.J.C.C. (with Greenberg’s photograph). Count 9 – Aggravated Identity Theft – sometime between November 11, 2017 and June 23, 2020 – Victim R.Z. Count 10 – Aggravated Identity Theft – sometime between September 21, 2018 and June 23, 2020 – Puerto Rico driver’s license of victim E.J.C.C. Count 11 – Wire Fraud – November 8, 2017 – $1,500 credit card charge using Tax Collector’s Office American Express card. Count 12 – Wire Fraud – December 4, 2017 – involving an email to “an employee at Entity A.” Count 13 – Wire Fraud – December 12, 2018 – involving an email to “an employee at Entity A.” Count 14 – Wire Fraud – December 20, 2028 – a $200,000 wire transfer from a Tax Collector’s Office account to Entity A’s account. Count 15 – Wire Fraud – September 20, 2019 – a $5,000 transfer from Government Blockchain Systems, LLC to Greenberg’s personal account. Count 16 – Wire Fraud – September 24, 2019 – another $5,000 transfer from Government Blockchain Systems, LLC to Greenberg’s personal account. Count 17 – Wire Fraud – October 15, 2019 – another $5,000 transfer from Government Blockchain Systems, LLC to Greenberg’s personal account. Count 18 – Wire Fraud – October 17, 2019 – another $5,000 transfer from Government Blockchain Systems, LLC to Greenberg’s personal account. Count 19 – Wire Fraud – November 2, 2019 – a wire transfer “to establish a seller account at Amazon.” Count 20 – Wire Fraud – January 17, 2020 – a “$599.95 credit card charge to purchase an autographed Michael Jordon photograph using an American Express card of the Tax Collector’s Office.” Count 21 – Illegal Monetary Transactions – December 29, 2017 – transfer of $100,000 to Greenberg’s personal account. Count 22 – Illegal Monetary Transactions – December 29, 2019 – transfer of $10,000 in Bitcoin to a cryptocurrency wallet belonging to Greenberg. Count 23 – Illegal Monetary Transactions – December 24, 2018 – transfer of $100,000 in Bitcoin “in the name of the Tax Collector’s Office” to a “cryptocurrency wallet controlled by” Greenberg. Count 24 – Stalking – October 10, 2019 to November 15, 2019 – involving the political opponent/teacher. Count 25 – Unlawful Use of Means of Identification of Another Person – November 2, 2019 – involving the fake Twitter account bearing the political opponent/teacher’s name. Count 26 – Conspiracy to Bribe a Public Official, Submission of a False Claim, Theft of Government Property, and Wire Fraud – Jan. 2017 – SBA loans. Count 27 – Bribery of a Public Official – July 17, 2020 – for a $3,000 payment Greenberg allegedly made to an SBA employee. Count 28 – Submission of a False Claim – EIDL application for Joel Greenberg. Count 29 – Submission of a False Claim – EIDL application for DG3 Network. Count 30 – Submission of a False Claim – EIDL application for Greenberg Media. Count 31 – Theft of Government Property – $132,900 in EIDL proceeds for Joel Greenberg. Count 32 – Theft of Government Property – $149,900 in EIDL proceeds for DG3 Network. Count 33 – Theft of Government Property – $149,900 in EIDL proceeds for Greenberg Media. https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/heres-what-we-know-right-now-about-matt-gaetzs-indicted-tax-collector-friend-joel-greenberg/
