Documents Reveal Teen's Alleged Encounters with Gaetz

A 17-year-old high school junior in Florida, living in and out of a homeless shelter with one of her divorced parents, turned to a sugar dating website in 2017 to earn money for braces, leading to encounters that drew national attention, including alleged paid sex with then-Rep. Matt Gaetz at a private party.

The girl, whose identity remains protected, worked minimum-wage shifts at McDonald's while navigating family instability. In December 2016, she turned 17 and created a profile on the site, falsely listing her age as 18 to connect older men with younger women for compensated companionship. Court documents unsealed last month in a related civil case describe her as vulnerable, with little economic security that left her open to exploitation.

Through the website, she met Joel Greenberg, a Seminole County tax collector and associate of Gaetz. In April 2017, Greenberg paid her $400 to meet on his boat, where they did not have sex, but he provided ecstasy and encouraged her to use it. Subsequent meetings led to seven paid sexual encounters before her 18th birthday, with payments of $400 each time, according to the documents and testimony from a bipartisan House Ethics Committee...