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Legal expert weighs-in on report Joel Greenberg to change plea in federal court
As part of a plea agreement, former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg may be willing to spill the beans about possible dirty dealings involving Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and others, legal experts say.
ORLANDO, Fla. - As part of a plea agreement, Joel Greenberg may be willing to spill the beans about possible dirty dealings involving Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and others, legal experts say.
The former Seminole County Tax Collector is facing more than 30 federal charges, including identity theft, embezzlement, and sex trafficking of a child.
"So, it's not surprising to me that he's entering a plea. It may increase the odds of his getting a more favorable sentence," said Whitney Boan, an Orlando criminal defense attorney.
Greenberg’s problems involve other high-profile politicians, most notably Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz. Greenberg told investigators he and Gaetz had encounters with women who were given cash or gifts in exchange for sex. A New York Times report says Greenberg started talking after he learned the government had overwhelming evidence against him. Boan says the text of the agreement may reveal whether Greenberg will flip on Gaetz.
"Frequently, you'll see mention of not what that work is, but that somebody is already doing that and the government's acknowledging that they're doing that, or if it's ongoing, and it'll be discussed at the time of sentencing," Boan said, "oftentimes you'll see that in a plea agreement as well. We won't know what it is, but we'll know something's happening."
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For his part, Rep. Gaetz has denied the allegations. We also contacted current Seminole County Tax Collector, J.R. Kroll. His office released this statement:
"Our office is focused on the future and making sure Seminole County tax dollars are spent wisely and frugally. Hopefully, Monday’s hearing will put an end to this circus and allow all of us to move forward."
"This is the best evidence of why we really need to do our research before we vote for people in terms of understanding what their motivations are, what their backgrounds are, and what their experience is," Boan advised.
The court is expecting a packed house at Monday’s hearing. They're actually opening a second courtroom for the hearing with a live video feed because of all the interest in this case.
Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.
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