• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle

Fraudster Hit with Big Punishment for $25 Million Gaetz Family Extortion Attempt

August 23, 2022
LOU BARLETTA: Let President Trump Close The Deal

LOU BARLETTA: Let President Trump Close The Deal

May 15, 2025
Waymo Recalls 1,200 Self-Driving Taxis After Collisions With Gates, Road Barriers

Waymo Recalls 1,200 Self-Driving Taxis After Collisions With Gates, Road Barriers

May 14, 2025
Embattled House Dem Drops Trump Impeachment Effort After Backlash From His Own Party

Embattled House Dem Drops Trump Impeachment Effort After Backlash From His Own Party

May 14, 2025
Over 1,000 Starbucks Workers Go on Strike to Protest Dress Code

Over 1,000 Starbucks Workers Go on Strike to Protest Dress Code

May 14, 2025
Newsom Outlines $12 Billion Deficit and Freeze on Health Programs for Illegal Immigrants

Newsom Outlines $12 Billion Deficit and Freeze on Health Programs for Illegal Immigrants

May 14, 2025
White House Reportedly Weighs Major Nuclear Regulatory Shift

White House Reportedly Weighs Major Nuclear Regulatory Shift

May 14, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: GOP Sens Scrutinize Biden-Era IRS Unit Which May Have Targeted Some Small Businesses

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Sens Scrutinize Biden-Era IRS Unit Which May Have Targeted Some Small Businesses

May 14, 2025
Syria Offers to Build Trump Tower in Damascus Ahead of Meeting

Syria Offers to Build Trump Tower in Damascus Ahead of Meeting

May 14, 2025
Suge Knight Predicts Trump Could Pardon Diddy If Rapper is Convicted

Suge Knight Predicts Trump Could Pardon Diddy If Rapper is Convicted

May 14, 2025
Leftist Ice Cream Baron Removed By Law Enforcement For Interrupting RFK Jr. Hearing

Leftist Ice Cream Baron Removed By Law Enforcement For Interrupting RFK Jr. Hearing

May 14, 2025
STEVE CORTES: Why Are Republicans Targeting Trump’s Tax Cuts For Main Street?

STEVE CORTES: Why Are Republicans Targeting Trump’s Tax Cuts For Main Street?

May 14, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: House GOP’s Medicaid Reform Would Force Millions Of Able-Bodied Americans To Get Back To Work

EXCLUSIVE: House GOP’s Medicaid Reform Would Force Millions Of Able-Bodied Americans To Get Back To Work

May 14, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Thursday, May 15, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Fraudster Hit with Big Punishment for $25 Million Gaetz Family Extortion Attempt

by Western Journal
August 23, 2022 at 2:50 pm
in News
245 7
0

(Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A federal judge has sentenced Florida businessman Stephen M. Alford to more than five years in prison for his involvement in a 2021 scheme to defraud Rep. Matt Gaetz’s father of $25 million.

Drama has surrounded the Republican Representative Gaetz after investigations began in 2020 to look into whether he possibly violated sex trafficking laws, the New York Times reported.

Gaetz allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him.

The investigation into Gaetz started when his former “wingman,” the former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, pleaded guilty to six charges of sex trafficking, Orlando Weekly reported.

In light of the investigation, Alford reportedly promised the Gaetz family that if they paid him $25 million to help free a U.S. hostage in Iran, then President Joe Biden would pardon Gaetz in the ongoing child sex trafficking investigation, the Daily Beast reported.

After the scheme crumbled, Alford pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in November. On Monday he was sentenced to 63 months in prison.

Alford’s imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release, according to the Daily Beast’s reporting on the court documents.

The fraudulent scheme was publicized on March 30, 2021, on Fox News, by Gaetz himself, just hours after the New York Times initially reported on the investigation into Gaetz’s alleged sex crimes, the Washington Post reported.

Gaetz claimed on Fox that the story about the investigation was a “leak” to distract from the fraud scheme that Alford was involved in,  aimed at him and his father,  former Florida Senate president Don Gaetz.

According to court documents that the Washington Post reported on, Alford and another individual learned that the Department of Justice was investigating Gaetz before the investigation was made public by the Times.

The elder Gaetz reportedly received a text message on March 16, 2021, requesting a discussion about the investigation into his son, Alford’s indictment outlined, according to Washington Post.

The following day, Don Gaetz met with the individual and was given a letter outlining the plan.

“If the Gaetzes helped fund efforts to locate and rescue Robert A. Levinson — the longest-held American hostage in Iran — President Biden would ‘strongly consider’ pardoning Rep. Gaetz, if necessary, or otherwise direct the Justice Department to halt its investigation of the congressman, court records state,” the Post reported.

The plan was called “Project Homecoming.”

According to court documents, Alford then met with Don Gaetz and named the price of $25 million for the plan.

However, the plan fell through and Don Gaetz was interviewed by the FBI about his connection with Alford on March 20, 2021, the Post reported.

After that meeting with the FBI, Don Gaetz wore a recording device during his final meeting with Alford. The businessman’s promises were recorded.

When investigators asked Alford about his promises and statements, he said they were “a lie,” the Post reported.

That claim gave investigators grounds to charge Alford with “making material false promises,” the court documents outlined, according to the Post.

Finally, Alford admitted to FBI agents that he had never had any assurances from the Biden administration about a potential pardon for Matt Gaetz, Newsweek reported.

Alford’s new sentencing this week makes for the third time that Alford has been imprisoned since March 2006, on “charges related to attempts to extort large amounts of money from wealthy individuals or businesses,” according to Newsweek.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

Tags: CongresscrimeFloridafraudMatt Gaetzpolitics
Do you think the punishment for the fraudster is fair?

Completing this poll entitles you to our news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Yes: 71% (5 Votes)
No: 29% (2 Votes)
Share196Tweet123
Western Journal

Western Journal

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th