Matt Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend to cooperate with federal authorities in sex-trafficking probe, CNN reports

• A former Capitol Hill staffer who used to date Matt Gaetz is cooperating with authorities, CNN reported.
• His ex-girlfriend is expected to help investigators make sense of hundreds of transaction records, CNN reported.
• Gaetz’s lawyers told Insider they are “ready for a fair fight on the facts and the law.”
• See more stories on Insider’s business page.

The ex-girlfriend of Rep. Matt Gaetz will cooperate with federal authorities who are investigating the Florida lawmaker, sources told CNN.

The news comes days after Joel Greenberg, a former Gaetz ally and Florida county tax collector, formally pleaded guilty to six felony counts and agreed to cooperate with the US government in its investigation into Gaetz.

Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend, a former Capitol Hill staffer has been linked to the Republican since at least the summer of 2017 – an apparent time period of interest for investigators. According to CNN, the woman is expected to help prosecutors understand hundreds of transactions they’ve obtained records of.

Investigators have been pushing for the woman’s agreement since earlier this month, CNN reported. Sources did not share with CNN if there is a formal agreement to cooperate.

Gaetz has not been charged with any crime. Investigators from the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for months have been investigating whether he had a sexual relationship with a minor and broke federal sex trafficking, prostitution, and public corruption laws.

“Congressman Gaetz doesn’t seem to be named nor referenced in Mr. Greenberg’s plea. Congressman Gaetz has never had sex with a minor and has never paid for sex,” Harlan Hill, a Gaetz spokesperson told Insider. “Mr. Greenberg has now pleaded guilty to falsely accusing someone else of sex with a minor. That person was innocent. So is Congressman Gaetz.”

Neither the ex-girlfriend’s lawyer, Timothy Jansen, nor the Department of Justice immediately responded to Insider’s request for comment.

Gaetz’s lawyers, Marc Mukasey and Isabelle Kirshner told Insider leaks by anonymous sources have compromised the integrity of the investigation.

“We’re ready for a fair fight on the facts and the law. Anywhere. Anytime,” the lawyers said. “But the steady stream of leaks by anonymous sources undermines the integrity of this process. It is simply and unequivocally improper.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.