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Who is Joel Greenberg? Former tax collector tied to U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz

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Who is Joel Greenberg? Former tax collector tied to U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz steeped in controversy before criminal charges
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/pol...0210331-kfebgrmiezal7j6jx5s7vzky7e-story.html
Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg — who resigned on June 24, the day after he was arrested at his home by federal agents — currently faces 14 federal charges, including allegations that he stalked a political opponent, illegally used a state database to create fake IDs and sex-trafficked a minor. On Tuesday, the probe further extended to include conservative self-described “firebrand” U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz who, according to the New York Times, is being investigated for an alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.

Greenberg, 36, rose to prominence in Central Florida politics in 2016 when he upset Ray Valdes, who was Seminole County’s tax collector for nearly three decades.

Much of his tenure was embroiled in controversy: Months after taking office, he began allowing employees to carry guns, and then in December 2017, while wearing a tax collector badge that looked like a law enforcement shield, he pulled over and confronted a driver for speeding. Officials with the Seminole State Attorney’s Office declined to press charges.

About a month following that incident, Greenberg himself asked for “professional courtesy” after he was pulled over for speeding.

“If there’s any way on earth — I’m just trying to stay off the front page of the damn newspaper: ‘Tax collector gets ticket.’ This is the kind of political crap I have to deal with,” he said, according to the Lake Mary police officer’s body-worn camera.

A 2019 Orlando Sentinel investigation revealed Greenberg had spent $3.5 million in consultant contracts, salaries to friends and associates, including giving a combined $644,000 to three of his groomsmen and another $677,000 to a campaign adviser. An audit released last December showed Greenberg wasted about $1 million in taxpayer funds, including buying body armor, weapons, ammunition and a drone.

Greenberg’s legal troubles began last June when a raid of his home in Heathrow uncovered several fake IDs. He was also accused of using his access as an elected official to look up information about a minor victim in the Florida Driver and Vehicle Information Database known as “DAVID,” including the victim’s photo and driver identification number.

Among the 14 federal charges Greenberg currently faces, he is also accused of stalking a political opponent -- who is a teacher -- by falsely accusing them of sexual misconduct with a student and of being “a segregationist and in favor of white supremacy.” Greenberg allegedly used fake Twitter and Facebook accounts to post the information and posed as concerned students in letters to the school where the victim works.

In August, Greenberg was also charged with sex trafficking related to a girl between 14 and 17 years old.

Out on bond awaiting trial, Greenberg was then arrested again in February for breaking curfew to look for his wife in South Florida, according to authorities.
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Investigators in Seminole County turned up some information which led them to initiate an investigation into Matt Gaetz. Someone local leaked the investigation and someone tried to extort Matt Gaetz's rich father to keep a lid on the story and prevent it from getting out the to press. That happened just a week ago. However, Matt Gaetz has been under investigation by the Bill Barr Dept of Justice since last summer.
 
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