Indicted Matt Gaetz ally made over 150 Venmo payments to young women — including 17-year-old: report

On Wednesday, a new Daily Beast report revealed that the indicted former tax official tied to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) in the federal sex trafficking investigation, Joel Greenberg, made over 150 Venmo payments to young women, including a 17-year-old — often with crude or racy memo lines.

"Gaetz made only one previously unreported transaction in the newly obtained documents: a payment from the Florida congressman to the former Seminole County tax commissioner for $300 on November 1, 2018, with the love hotel emoji ('🏩') in the memo field," reported Jose Pagliery and Roger Sollenberger. "The Daily Beast was unable to tie that transaction directly to any woman, but confirmed that Greenberg booked one night for that date at The Alfond Inn, a luxury hotel in Winter Park, Florida."

"An examination of Greenberg's Venmo transactions shows dozens of suspicious and curiously titled payments," said the report. "Some were as simple as 'Ass' or a lipstick kiss mark ('💋'). Others were more opaque, such as 'Stuff' and 'Orher stuff' [sic]. According to three people with knowledge of the relationship, Gaetz was among the men who tapped Greenberg to access a large network of young women. Three payments in the reviewed documents — in amounts of $500, $500, and $250 — were designated for 'Ice cream.' Five other payments were for 'Salad,' one of which topped $1,000."

The payment Greenberg made to the 17-year-old was simply designated "Food."

"In the Venmo transactions reviewed by The Daily Beast ... there are at least 16 payments in 2017 totaling nearly $5,000 to a woman who would later go on to date Matt Gaetz," noted the report. "Additionally, Greenberg paid her $1,500 over the course of two days in April 2017 using Cash App. That woman — who came to Washington, D.C. as an intern in January 2018 — has said she dated Gaetz during and after her senior year in college."

This new reporting comes after CNN revealed Gaetz attended secret parties known for "drug use, sex, and payments" and that one woman claimed to have witnessed Gaetz taking recreational drugs. In addition to sex trafficking, federal authorities are reportedly investigating whether any of this came out of campaign funds.

Gaetz continues to deny all allegations.