You can read the first indictment against Greenberg here and the second here. Engels, according to the Sentinel, engaged in the same political dirty tricks that has been Stones specialty since the Nixon presidency: In 2016 he filed a report accusing Valdes of assault, but the prosecutor said Engels was only seeking a confrontation. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. [8] He took office in January 2017. The federal indictment also alleges that Greenberg sent anonymous letters to a school where a political opponent worked claiming to be a student who had information that the employee engaged in sexual misconduct with a student, a charge Greenberg knew was false., The indictment further alleges that Greenberg created a bogus Twitter account, in the name of the same political opponent, representing the person as a segregationist in favor of white supremacy.. Lynn Moira Dictor is not. In the last few days, Greenberg has entered the national spotlight in connection with an investigation of sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl reported against U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a prominent backer of President Donald Trump. Joel Greenberg, the former Seminole County Tax Collector at the center of a sprawling criminal probe into everything from stalking to wire fraud to sex trafficking, used taxpayer money to pay. Another politically active member of the Jewish community who spoke on condition of anonymity scoffed at the idea. Last year, the page posted an attack on Greenbergs primary opponent itled Creepy Brian Beute. (Facebook has taken down the page.). Though the sex trafficking charge against Mr. Greenberg and the ensuing Justice Department examination into Mr. Gaetz including whether he had sex with the same 17-year-old girl have received the most attention, the array of schemes that Mr. Greenberg is suspected of are broader and altogether show an astonishing disregard for the law by an elected official. In February, Mr. Greenberg drove to Jupiter, Fla., looking for his wife, a 180-mile drive that violated the curfew and travel restrictions that were conditions of his release. Joel Greenberg, who is incarcerated in the Orange County jail, is facing a minimum of 12 years in prison after pleading guilty in May to six federal charges including sex trafficking of a child, illegally producing a false identification document, aggravated identity theft, stalking, wire fraud and conspiracy. He was indicted on 33 criminal counts: theft, stalking, sex trafficking, cryptocurrency fraud, and Small Business Administration loan fraud. The inquiry into Mr. Trumps role in paying hush money to the porn actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign has spanned five years, two Manhattan district attorneys and multiple grand juries. Greenberg broke parole this month when he figured out his wife had decamped from their home to her mothers house 2 1/2 hours away. Mr. Greenberg attended Rollins College right before making the move to try out a lifelong dream of broadcasting. The inquiry one of two casesinherited in November by the special counsel, Jack Smith could be completed by spring or early summer. Interviews with people in Seminole County who dealt with Mr. Greenberg and a review of news articles and public records from his past suggest that he was a wealthy but troubled teenager who drifted through young adulthood before turning to local politics five years ago and embracing Trumpism. Abby Greenberg, who is a real estate agent, would receive a commission from the sale from the home that is necessary to support the couples two children since Joel Greenberg is not paying any child support or alimony, according to the court filing. (Orlando Sentinel) A day after a federal magistrate ordered Joel Greenberg to remain in . Shes just very shaken.. According to the Times, Greenberg was a political ally of Gaetz. Within days, one of the women crashed a vehicle into a tree near Mr. Greenbergs house, suffering minor injuries, according to a police report of the crash, which has not been previously reported. Deputies called in federal agents, said David Bear, Mr. Beutes lawyer. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Gaetz gave $1,000 to Greenbergs reelection campaign last year. Did I leave something on?. Theres a little cut on her head. In August of 2018, Greenberg posted a gratuitous anti-Muslim remark on his Facebook page: Name just ONE society in the developed world that has benefited in ANY WAY from the introduction of more Muslims. @mattgaetz and @ChrisDorworth duckface and all. Scott Maxwell, a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel, said on Twitter after The Times story broke that Greenberg has kept the paper busy, related to his escapades alleged and otherwise. The following Monday, an employee found the alarm deactivated and drivers licenses strewn over a desk. Last year, the page posted an attack on Greenbergs primary opponent itled Creepy Brian Beute. (Facebook has taken down the page.). I dont go out there to be a demagogue against anyone else. Under that deal, Greenberg had the Tax Collector's Office purchase a former bank building on State Road 434 for $810,000 in public cash hours after a company recently formed by Adamczyk . Mr. Greenberg and Mr. Gaetz met through the tight-knit group of prominent Trump backers in Florida in 2017, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hes back in jail as a result. According to the television station, he was also accused of creating fake drivers licenses to to produce a false identification document to facilitate his efforts to engage in commercial sex acts. He was accused of soliciting a minor between the ages of 14 and 17 in 2017. [6] On July 6, Greenberg requested, and prosecutors agreed to, a three-month delay in his sentencing so he could further cooperate with the government; presiding federal judge Gregory Presnell agreed to reschedule the sentencing date to November 18. to Greenbergs reelection campaign last year. Just one. Then-Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg talks to the Orlando Sentinel. It involves Iran and a missing Jewish FBI agent. His Facebook page features an undated photo of himself at the Western Wall. Stalking a rival candidate got him arrested. The three men visited Washington together that June, and Mr. Greenberg posted photographs on social media from the White House lawn, including one of his daughter with Mr. Gaetz and Mr. Trump. He resigned and dropped his bid for re-election. Greenberg got support in both his campaigns from a Facebook page, Central Florida Post, founded by Jacob Engels, who has been named as an associate of Roger Stone. And indications in court last week that he plans to plead guilty, suggesting he will cooperate with prosecutors, further prompted former friends to abandon him. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. Greenberg's wife told. , a far-right group also associated with Stone. It was a belligerent, defiant, rebellion-type of thing at home.. Recently, prosecutors under the current district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, appearto have moved closer than everto indicting the former president. searched Mar-a-Lago, has been complicatedby the discovery that President Bidenand former Vice President Mike Pencealso had classified files in their possession. News 6 is Getting Results. Mr. Greenbergs lawyer, Fritz Scheller, declined to make his client, who has been in jail since March for violating terms of his bail, available for a jailhouse interview. Asking for a friend. That, according to the Orlando news site, led to calls for his resignation. Joel Greenberg, a former Florida tax collector and associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), was sentenced to 11 years in prison Thursday for sex trafficking of a minor and five other federal. The Times said its not clear how Greenberg, 35, got to know Gaetz, 38. Joel Fabiani (born September 28, 1936, in Watsonville, California) is an American film, television and theater actor.Known for his leading role in the British TV series Department S, Fabiani has guest starred in The FBI, Barnaby Jones, The Streets of San Francisco, Banacek, Cannon, The Rockford Files and Starsky and Hutch.. His film appearances include Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Reuben . Joel Greenberg. Get email notification for articles from JTA. Greenberg, whose political party is Republican, is facing 14 counts amd is fighting the allegations. Another selfie he, is with Milo Yiannopoulos, the far-right activist. When Greenberg was 15, he and his mother, Susan Greenberg, told a sports columnist for The Sentinel that he had benefited from the mentorship of an Orlando Magic basketball player, John. In 2016, then 31, Greenberg used his own money to run a successful Republican primary challenge that accused the 28-year incumbent, Ray Valdes, then 78, of being out of touch. Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service. [30] Greenberg married his wife, Abby, in 2016 and has a son and a daughter.[31]. But then, Greenberg knows the risks of keeping controversial company. In August 2018, he shared a social media post that said: Very simple questionName just ONE society in the developed world that has benefited in ANY WAY from the introduction of more Muslims. If convicted on both counts, Greenberg faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison., According to the indictment, Greenberg, who was the elected Seminole County Tax Collector, engaged in a course of conduct that caused and attempted to cause substantial emotional distress to a political opponent who worked at a school located in the Middle District of Florida. political dirty tricks that has been Stones specialty since the Nixon presidency. The page has promoted among others the Proud Boys, a far-right group also associated with Stone. He resigned from his elective office in June 2020, a day after being indicted and arrested by federal agents on a myriad of corruption and some other creepy charges. A county audit concluded that Mr. Greenberg had wasted more than $1 million in taxpayer money and used his tax collector credit card to purchase body armor, weapons and a drone. Audits show that Greenberg used public funds to pay for $384,000 in body armor, unspecified weapons, ammunition, as well as a drone with thermal imaging capabilities, News13, a local broadcaster, reported. Gaetz contributed the maximum amount to Greenbergs campaign, and brought him along to a visit to the White House, according to the Times. The Orlando Sentinel accused him of setting up a private company in his public office. Greenberg and Gaetz were once close friends who allegedly attended drug-fueled parties together where women said they received money for sex, CNN reported. We need to open the damn economy. She said he had yelled at her for supposedly cutting him off and driving like a bat out of hell, according to a complaint she filed to the sheriffs office. Greenberg caused postings to be made using that account that falsely alleged that the school employee had engaged in sexual misconduct with a student. Mr. Greenberg was born in Altamonte Springs, Florida with his parents and 2 older brothers. He raised five times as much money for a primary challenge, almost all self-funded his father founded an empire of dental offices and ousted the incumbent. Asking for a friend.. He subsequently wrote several freelance sports pieces for the Orlando Sentinel and later hosted a sports talk show, The Joel Greenberg Show, on Yahoo Sports Radio Orlando. The letters falsely represented that they had been sent by an anonymous very concerned student of the school who had information that the school employee had engaged in sexual misconduct with a particular student, which Greenberg knew was false., According to the release, Greenberg also caused a Facebook account to be set up that claimed to belong to a very concerned teacher at the school where the school employee had worked. On separate occasions, Greenberg used his tax collector badge to stop a woman he said was speeding and to try and persuade a traffic cop not to ticket him for speeding. According to a plea agreement, Greenberg admitted to embezzling money from the Seminole County Tax Collectors Office to fund a private cryptocurrency business and fraudulently obtaining federal CARES Act dollars intended to help companies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. That same year, the Republican Jewish Coalition called on Gaetz to acknowledge. The woman, according to two people familiar with their relationship, had previously had sex with Mr. Greenberg and received money from him on mobile payment apps; she had been leaving his house, the people said. Greenberg. [15] On February 28, 2021, Greenberg violated his bond conditions by traveling during his curfew hours, reportedly to look for his wife. One of my best friends is Muslim, and I have a Black brother, Greenberg told the Orlando Weekly. ORLANDO, Fla. - A newly released rap video celebrating Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz features an unlikely cameo: the estranged wife of former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg . Joel Greenberg is a millionaire, mostly because of his stake in the dental practice. One of the things I discovered when I had a public feud with Joel is that he is not actually Jewish although his father is, said one community activist, who spoke on condition their name not be used for fear of retaliation. Joel Greenberg in jail photo Courtesy of wftv.com, By Mark I. Pinsky [14] Greenberg faces a minimum of 12 years imprisonment and a maximum term of life imprisonment. Read more: Matt Gaetz says hes part of a $25M extortion plot. Presnell approved the extension. Its tough consensus can be difficult to find but in this case, I can confidently say that Greenbergs hateful rhetoric does not represent the Jewish community. [11], Federal agents arrested Greenberg at his home on June 23, 2020; he resigned the following day after being released on bail. Greenbergs attorney has indicated his client plans to pay additional restitution to victims above the governments request. It was this allegation, the Times reported, that led federal investigators to Gaetz. Greenbergs mother-in-law emphatically told police he was unwelcome. Abby Greenberg also wants the judge to liquidate her estranged husbands cryptocurrency account and award her half the proceeds. Greenbergs mother-in-law. Tax Collector\'s office photo Neither he nor his attorney could be reached for comment for this article. The vast majority of Jews in Central Florida appreciate our Muslim brothers and sisters and value our shared American experience.. He was accused of discrimination in a 2018 lawsuit by a Muslim woman he fired, and another employee accused Greenberg of firing him for supporting another Republican in a primary. [19] On May 17, 2021, Greenberg pleaded guilty to six federal charges: sex trafficking of a child, production of a false identification document, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, stalking, and conspiracy. When sheriffs deputies went to rearrest him at his home in Lake Mary, Mr. Greenberg claimed to have explosives and threatened to harm himself, according to a deputys report. The Times said its not clear how Greenberg, 35, got to know Gaetz, 38. Greenberg was raised in a Christian family and attended a Christian church. Mr. Greenberg attended evening classes at Rollins College between 2005 and 2012 but never graduated, according to the school. [31] References [ edit] ^ Comas, Martin E. (July 24, 2020). The neighbor said the woman was calling a friend. Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 15:18, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Production of a false identification document, "Seminole, Orange tax collectors make changes to prevent ID theft in the wake of Joel Greenberg's arrest", "Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking charges", "Joel Greenberg, Friend and Associate of Matt Gaetz, Expected to Plead Guilty", "READ: Plea agreement from former Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg", "Joel Greenberg cooperating with feds since last year in Matt Gaetz sex trafficking probe: report", "Judge Approves Plea Deal, Sets Sentencing Date for Matt Gaetz Associate in Child Sex Trafficking Case", "Joel Greenberg Timeline: From rising Republican star to federal charges", "Seminole Tax Collector Joel Greenberg resigns day after indictment", "Former Seminole County tax collector accused of stealing $400,000 in taxpayer money", "Ex-GOP official Joel Greenberg flaunted ties to Matt Gaetz. Since June, the list of indictments against Joel Greenberg has just gotten longer and longer. Several factors complicate sentencing", "Gaetz Paid Accused Sex Trafficker, Who Then Venmo'd Teen", "Matt Gaetz Associate Joel Greenberg Pleads Guilty to Six Federal Charges, Including Child Sex Trafficking", "Former Gaetz Confidant Agrees to Plead Guilty and Cooperate", "Matt Gaetz scandal deepens as associate admits paying 17-year-old for sex", "Prosecutors Agree to Delay Sentencing for Matt Gaetz Wingman Joel Greenberg: He's Been Busy 'Cooperating with the Government', "Judge grants sentence delay for cooperating Gaetz associate", "Gaetz associate asks to delay sentencing, continues to cooperate with federal investigation", "Gaetz ally Joel Greenberg is giving investigators new information, prosecutors say", "Gaetz 'wingman' granted another sentencing delay", "Sentencing for Gaetz 'wingman' delayed until August", "Gaetz 'wingman' gets new sentencing date", "Former Gaetz Confidant Is Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison", "Gaetz crony Joel Greenberg is only Jewish 'as a prop' say his critics", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joel_Greenberg_(politician)&oldid=1142109307, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 15:18. Joel Greenberg, former tax collector for Seminole County, was accused of stalking a political opponent, public corruption, making fake licenses and scheming to submit false claims for a federal. Those contracts included $380,000 for body armor, weapons, and ammunition, as well as $15,000 for office sprinklers that could be aimed at people outside his office. In exchange for his cooperation, prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining charges from the original indictment. Greenbergs actions are an embarrassment to the office he holds, and his attitude reflects poorly on the people who elected him and pay his $150,000 per year salary, the Jewish leader said.