Ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg to enter guilty pleas Monday morning - WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg is expected to plead guilty Monday morning to six criminal charges including child sex trafficking, according to recently filed court records.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie R. Hoffman has scheduled a change of plea hearing for 10 a.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in downtown Orlando.

Under the plea agreement, Greenberg, 37, must provide “substantial assistance” with other government investigations and prosecutions.

[MORE COVERAGE: Joel Greenberg scandal: Who’s who in the federal investigation? | Joel Greenberg Timeline: From rising Republican star to federal charges]

Greenberg will also be required to pay nearly $655,000 in restitution to his victims, including Seminole County taxpayers.

In exchange for his cooperation and guilty pleas, prosecutors agreed to drop 27 additional charges involving crimes that allegedly occurred in Greenberg’s personal life and while he was working as an elected official.

Court records signed by Greenberg outline the terms of the plea agreement and provide new details about the crimes to which he is now admitting, including sex trafficking of a child, production of a false document, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, stalking and conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S.

Nearly one year ago Greenberg was arrested for allegedly writing an anonymous letter and creating fake social media accounts intended to smear his political rival, a school employee, as a child molester.

While investigating that matter, federal authorities said they discovered Greenberg had taken customers’ old driver licenses discarded at his tax offices to create fake IDs containing Greenberg’s photo.

Greenberg used those fraudulent driver licenses while recruiting women for sex on “sugar daddy” websites, prosecutors said, including one who was younger than 18-years-old.

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According to the plea agreement, Greenberg engaged in commercial sex acts with the minor at least seven times and would supply her with the drug Ecstasy, which Greenberg would take himself.

Greenberg used confidential state driver license database to look up the girl’s personal information “because he had reason to believe that the minor was under the age of 18”, the plea agreement stated.

Greenberg acknowledged introducing that minor to “other adult men who engaged in commercial sex acts with the minor,” according to the plea agreement.

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a friend of Greenberg, is under investigation for possible sex crimes related to the Greenberg problem, according to published reports.

Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes. His name does not appear in Greenberg’s plea agreement.

Greenberg is also accused of embezzling money from the tax collector’s office to run a private cryptocurrency business.

While awaiting trial on other charges, prosecutors said Greenberg bribed an employee of the Small Business Administration to fraudulently obtain federal CARES Act fund intended to help companies hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg to enter guilty pleas Monday morning - WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando
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