Stephen Alford, a 62-year-old man from Florida was accused of trying to extract money from Rep. Matt Gaetz’s father. Gaetz is currently being linked to a sex-trafficking investigation, as confirmed by the Congressman himself in March this year. He pleads innocence in the matter.
Gaetz’s father as per the Congressman has been cooperating with the federal agencies, and the FBI, as he was ‘wearing a wire’ while conversing with the people plotting the extortion.
Alford allegedly gave a false promise to the father, Don Gaetz, that he could ensure that his son gets a Presidential Pardon, in exchange for $25 Million. He had initially pleaded ‘Not Guilty’ on the first account, but after a news agency made charges of tampering with the evidence, Alford eventually changed his plea to ‘Guilty.
This does not seem like his first charge for the said offense, as he has also been earlier convicted for fraud and was sentenced to prison. He was allegedly overseeing the conduction and phasing of the scheme, in mid-March, between “Person A” and D.G. (Don Gaetz), to discuss the release of a former FBI Agent, who has been missing since 2007 in Iran. The family members of the agent presume him dead, as per their statement in March 2020.
Further in the development, “Person A” brought up the topic of an “ongoing federal investigation” to kin of Don Gaetz, as per an indictment returned by a federal grand jury. He promised to help secure the highest pardon for the Congressman.
The plot had thickened, when earlier in May 2021, one of Matt’s aides, Joel Greenberg admitted to paying a 17-year-old minor girl for sexual favor and supplying her with prohibited drugs. He had become intimate with her on multiple occasions and even introduced her to other colleagues, who as well entered into sexual encounters with the minor, for money or drugs like ecstasy.
The 37-year-old, Greenberg, is now expected to accept 6 charges levied on him by the courts, including financial crimes, and told the federal agencies that he agrees to cooperate in further investigations.
This further tightened the noose around Congressman Matt Gaetz, one of the most outspoken supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Read More: Bus Flamed To Ashes In Bulgaria, At Least 45 Including Minors Feared Dead