http://syn2.thecanadianpress.com:8080/mrss/feed/fcf7391a2f354311807f0501c16bde6a MSN - AP World Copyright © 2010-2018 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved. http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Sun, 06 Jul 2025 22:31:24 +0000 http://syn2.thecanadianpress.com:8080/mrss/feed/fcf7391a2f354311807f0501c16bde6a/dc8cce3ad674428499f2ca7fc5a4df25 A Florida politician who is a central figure in the Justice Department's investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz pleaded guilty Monday to six federal charges and will cooperate with prosecutors (May 17) dc8cce3ad674428499f2ca7fc5a4df25 Mon, 17 May 2021 22:23:43 +0000 SHOTLIST:RESTRICTION SUMMARY: MUST CREDIT WFTV; NO ACCESS ORLANDO MARKET; NO USE U.S. BROADCAST NETWORKS; NO RE-SALE, RE-USE OR ARCHIVEWFTV - MUST CREDIT WFTV; NO ACCESS ORLANDO MARKET; NO USE U.S. BROADCAST NETWORKS; NO RE-SALE, RE-USE OR ARCHIVEOrlando, Florida - 17 May 20211. SOUNDBITE (English) Fritz Scheller, attorney for Joel Greenberg:"Mr. Greenberg has pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement. It has certain requirements and obligations on him and he intends to honor that."++WHITE FLASH++2. SOUNDBITE (English) Fritz Scheller, attorney for Joel Greenberg: "When somebody accepts responsibility for their actions, that's the first step, recognition. Acceptance of what they've done. And that's the first step towards rehabilitation or in the rehabilitative process. That's the first step in redemption."++WHITE FLASH++3. SOUNDBITE (English) Fritz Scheller, attorney for Joel Greenberg: "I think he's feeling a sense of acceptance and he definitely feels a sense of remorse."++WHITE FLASH++4. SOUNDBITE (English) Fritz Scheller, attorney for Joel Greenberg: "I've had conversations with other attorneys. (Reporter: Can you say for whom they were, who they were representing?")  "I know you're writing, but I'm not going to answer."++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++STORYLINE:A Florida politician who emerged as a central figure in the Justice Department's sex trafficking investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz pleaded guilty Monday to six federal charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as part of a plea deal.Joel Greenberg, a longtime associate of Gaetz's, appeared in federal court in Orlando. He pleaded guilty to six of the nearly three dozen charges he faced, including sex trafficking of a minor, and he admitted that he had paid at least one underage girl to have sex with him and other men.Gaetz was not mentioned in the plea agreement or during the court hearing. But Greenberg's cooperation — as a key figure in the investigation and a close ally of Gaetz — may escalate the potential legal and political liability that the firebrand Republican congressman is facing.  Federal prosecutors are examining whether Gaetz and Greenberg paid underage girls and escorts or offered them gifts in exchange for sex, according to two people familiar with the matter. Investigators have also been looking at whether Gaetz and his associates tried to secure government jobs for some of the women, the people said. They are also scrutinizing Gaetz's connections to the medical marijuana sector, including whether his associates sought to influence legislation Gaetz sponsored.The people had knowledge of the investigation but were not allowed to publicly discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.Gaetz has denied the allegations and any accusation of wrongdoing and has said repeatedly he will not resign from Congress. A spokesman for the congressman has said Gaetz "never had sex with a minor and has never paid for sex."During the nearly hourlong hearing Monday, Greenberg acknowledged he understood the charges he was pleading guilty to and the possible punishment he faced and told the judge he was of a sound frame of mind. U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie Hoffman told Greenberg that even though prosecutors may request some leniency from his sentencing judge because of his cooperation there was no guarantee a judge would agree to the prosecutors' recommendations and that Greenberg would be unable to change his plea. No sentencing date was immediately set.  ===========================================================Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. A Florida politician who is a central figure in the Justice Department's investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz pleaded guilty Monday to six federal charges and will cooperate with prosecutors (May 17) Attorney speaks after Gaetz associate enters plea