Gaetz allegedly flew 2 women to New York, paid them for sex: Attorney

[ad_1] Donald Trump's nominee for legal professional basic, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, allegedly paid for 2 ladies in 2019 to journey to New York to have intercourse, watch his look on Fox Information, and attend the Broadway present "Fairly Girl," an legal professional for the ladies informed ABC Information.

In an interview with ABC Information' Juju Chang, Florida legal professional Joel Leppard revealed new particulars relating to his shoppers' closed-door testimony earlier than the personal bipartisan committee -- together with that his shoppers informed congressional investigators that Gaetz paid for them to journey throughout state strains to have intercourse on at the least two events.

The legal professional additionally mentioned that the ladies supplied the committee with textual content messages they allegedly exchanged with Gaetz concerning the acquisition of medicine and funds that the legal professional mentioned have been, partially, for intercourse.

Gaetz, who President-elect Donald Trump chosen final week to function his legal professional basic, has denied any wrongdoing. The Justice Division declined to cost Gaetz final 12 months after a yearslong investigation into the allegations, and members of the Home Ethics Committee are weighing releasing a report summarizing the findings of their very own investigation into Gaetz, after he resigned from Congress following Trump's announcement.

"Matt Gaetz would be the subsequent Lawyer Normal. He is the best man for the job and can finish the weaponization of our justice system," Trump transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer informed ABC Information relating to all of the allegations involving Gaetz.

"These are baseless allegations supposed to derail the second Trump administration. The Biden Justice Division investigated Gaetz for years and cleared him of wrongdoing," Pfeiffer mentioned of the allegations and the DOJ's determination to not deliver costs, which the Justice Division started investigating throughout the first Trump administration.

Leppard described to ABC Information the journey to New York that he says his shoppers testified Gaetz paid for in January 2019.

Republican Consultant Matt Gaetz speaks at a marketing campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump in Henderson, Nev., Oct. 31, 2024.

Mike Blake/Reuters, FILE

"They testified that they met up with Matt Gaetz in New York in January of 2019 for his look on Fox Information ... Mr. Gates paid them for the tickets to return to New York for the journey," Leppard informed Chang. "They have been requested to go and have intercourse with Rep. Gaetz, after which they might exit and see a present that they wished to see that evening. So primarily, handle issues, after which afterward, they might have their enjoyable."

Based on Leppard, his shoppers informed the Ethics Committee that Gaetz paid for them to journey to New York in January 2019 for intercourse throughout a visit the place the then-congressman appeared on the Fox Information speak present "Outnumbered."

Gaetz -- who was already allegedly with one other lady in New York -- introduced the ladies to go to Fox Information studios, have dinner, after which to see the play "Fairly Girl," a present a couple of rich businessman who falls in love with a prostitute, the legal professional mentioned.

ABC Information independently confirmed that Gaetz appeared in studio on Fox Information on Jan. 4, 2019, a day the legal professional mentioned his shoppers testified that they frolicked with Gaetz, and that the present "Fairly Ladies" was operating on Broadway on the time.

"Their testimony is that Rep. Gaetz took them throughout state strains for the aim of getting intercourse and paid them for that?" Chang requested.

"That is appropriate," Leppard replied.

Summarizing what his shoppers informed the Home Ethics Committee, Leppard informed ABC Information that Gaetz allegedly had intercourse along with his shoppers -- who have been adults on the time -- on roughly 10 to fifteen events, primarily throughout drug-fueled events or smaller events like personal journeys to New York or the Bahamas, and have been paid, on a lot of these events, for intercourse by the then-congressman.

"They did testify to the Home that that was their understanding of the funds, that that is why they have been there, to supply a very good time, to have enjoyable, be free and to have intercourse with the gents who have been current, together with Rep. Gaetz," Leppard mentioned.

Based on Leppard, the boys who attended the events ranged in age from 30 to 50, whereas the ladies have been between the ages of 19 and 21.

"Each of my shoppers testified that that they had intercourse with Rep. Gaetz and that the funds they acquired from him have been partially for sexual favors," Leppard mentioned.

Leppard detailed that his shoppers testified that Gaetz additionally paid for them to journey to the Bahamas with different younger ladies, together with the lady who has alleged the then-congressman had intercourse along with her when she was a minor.

"It was a trip to the Bahamas, they usually have been my shoppers, the previous minor, in addition to a pair different females, and naturally, the gentleman who have been current," Leppard mentioned, referencing the previous 17-year-old who was over 18 by the point of the Bahamas journey.

The Bahamas journey had been a part of the Justice Division's investigation into Gaetz, sources beforehand informed ABC Information, which in the end didn't end in costs in opposition to the congressman.

"They testified to Congress that the journey itself was fee," Leppard mentioned, clarifying his shoppers weren't monetarily compensated past their journey and bills throughout that journey.

Based on Leppard, the yearslong relationship with Gaetz has continued to weigh on his shoppers, who consider the knowledge they've supplied in hours of testimony throughout a number of investigations ought to come to gentle.

Leppard mentioned the 2 ladies detailed to the Home panel how they've spent years in counseling -- paid for by the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- following the investigation.

"The Home requested, 'Do you consider that you are a sufferer of Matt Gaetz?" Leppard mentioned. "My consumer paused and mentioned, 'That is a tough query for me to ask,' after which she began crying, and he or she principally mentioned that she has been going by way of counseling."

"My shoppers have been receiving counseling providers paid for by the FBI for years," Leppard mentioned.

Leppard added that his shoppers say that their sexual interactions with Gaetz have been totally consensual and that they voluntarily participated within the events.

"They did testify that every little thing they did was consensual, that they have been by no means pressured to do something," Leppard mentioned. "They did testify that the medication typically impaired their judgment, and that they have been anticipated to do medication, however then they have been by no means pressured to do medication, however that the medication made it simpler to do what they have been doing."

Leppard mentioned his shoppers -- considered one of whom was a scholar on the time -- determined to attend the events the place that they had intercourse with Gaetz and others so as to make sufficient cash to pay hire.

"It was that form of scenario the place they're actually, 'Hey, I received to make hire this month. Let's exit and go to a few of these occasions,' and 'Here is how we'll pay hire."

Leppard additionally mentioned his shoppers supplied the Home Ethics Committee with textual content messages and reviewed Venmo information which they mentioned documented Gaetz's alleged funds for intercourse and coded requests for illicit medication, together with marijuana and MDMA, which Gaetz and his one-time good friend Joel Greenberg referenced in messages as "nutritional vitamins" or "social gathering favors."

"The social gathering favors, after all, meant MDMA or Molly, which was consumed at each considered one of these occasions," Leppard mentioned.

"[Gaetz] would ask utilizing phrases like 'nutritional vitamins,' or his favourite time period was 'social gathering favors.' So he may say, 'Who's bringing the social gathering favors' ... or 'Ensure that we've social gathering favors,'" the legal professional mentioned.

Greenberg is at present serving an 11-year jail sentence after reaching a take care of prosecutors in Might 2021 during which he pleaded responsible to a number of federal crimes together with intercourse trafficking of a lady when she was a minor and introducing her to different "grownup males" who additionally had intercourse along with her when she was underage.

Leppard's consumer informed Home investigations that taking MDMA or ecstasy was "roughly an expectation" for individuals on the intercourse events, although she didn't instantly see Gaetz take ecstasy, the legal professional mentioned.

"She did testify that she noticed Rep. Gaetz showing to be beneath the consequences of medicine, and that she witnessed him, I believe, at instances, consuming marijuana," Leppard mentioned.

Based on Leppard, each his shoppers have been paid to entertain and have intercourse with the attendees of the events.

"They received collectively to social gathering, to take medication and have intercourse, primarily," Leppard mentioned.

Leppard mentioned that the funds from Gaetz ranged between $200 and $500 and have been labeled as nondescript purchases, similar to gasoline or lodge journeys. The ladies would sometimes have intercourse with out fee, situations that Gaetz or Greenberg requested by asking for a "Buyer Appreciation Week."

Based on Leppard, each his shoppers confirmed to the Home Ethics Committee that the funds have been in alternate for sexual favors.

"The Home was very clear about that and went by way of every. They primarily put the Venmo funds on the display and requested about them. And my shoppers repeatedly testified, 'What was this fee for?' 'That was for intercourse,'" Leppard mentioned.

Leppard emphasised that each ladies have spoken with investigators -- throughout each the Home investigation and Division of Justice probe -- for years and denied that their allegations are in any method politically motivated.

"Now that they have been by way of all that, they do not wish to undergo this once more, and now that it is thought of for Rep. Gaetz to be essentially the most highly effective legislation enforcement officer within the land, I believe that that is related data for the American individuals to contemplate," Leppard mentioned.