Trump’s first attorney general pick accused of sex trafficking

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, alleges that Gaetz and several other men, including Joel Greenberg and Christopher Dorworth, sexually exploited the plaintiffs between 2017 and 2019. The women, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, are seeking unspecified damages under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Allegations Details

According to the complaint, Greenberg recruited financially vulnerable young women through SeekingArrangement.com and introduced them to Gaetz. The lawsuit alleges that Gaetz had sex with Jane Doe 1 and a 17-year-old girl at a July 2017 party where narcotics were distributed.

Gaetz allegedly paid the minor $400 in cash and transferred $500 to Jane Doe 1 three days later. The complaint claims Gaetz and Greenberg made at least 19 payments to Jane Doe 1, ranging from $150 to $1,000. Jane Doe 2 alleged she first had sex with Gaetz in exchange for money in October 2017.

Gaetz's Response

Responding on X, Gaetz mocked the lawsuit, posting a photo of three women in swimsuits in the Bahamas with the caption "Jane Doe Strikes Again!" He sarcastically questioned why nobody had responded to the women's supposed cries for help on Instagram. Gaetz later told reporters he looked forward to disproving the allegations.

Previous Investigations

Greenberg pleaded guilty to federal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor, in 2021 and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. In December 2024, the House Ethics Committee reported finding "substantial evidence" that Gaetz had paid women for sex, including a 17-year-old girl, and used illegal drugs while in office.

A separate Justice Department investigation ended in 2023 without charges. Gaetz withdrew from consideration to be Trump's attorney general in November 2024 after several Republican senators signaled opposition to his nomination over the allegations.