The House Ethics Committee concluded there is “substantial evidence” that Gaetz had sex in July 2017 with a 17‑year‑old female (referred to as "Victim A") when he was 35, in violation of Florida statutory rape law. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/matt-gaetz-ethics-report-findings/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
The minor and multiple other witnesses corroborated the encounter. She recalled receiving $400 in cash, which she understood as payment for sex. He did not ask her age, and she didn’t reveal she was under 18. https://chatgpt.com/c/688383ac-12f8-800b-9782-936e48ccddd5#:~:text=under 18,.
The committee found that Gaetz learned of her age a month later but continued contact and even had a paid meet-up after she turned 18. CNN AMP+4PBS+4CNBC+4.
From 2017 to 2020, Gaetz allegedly paid more than $90,000 to at least 12 women via PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, checks, and cash—payments the committee determined were likely connected to sexual activity or drug use The Washington Post+15CBS News+15PBS+15
Nearly every woman interviewed described a “general expectation of sex” in exchange for such payments—one said that “99 percent of the time” they hung out, sex was involved, and some noted they earned over $5,000 Reddit+3PBS+3CNN AMP+3.
The committee found substantial evidence that Gaetz used cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), and marijuana at drug-fueled parties from 2017–2020. Some women reported being asked to bring drugs to encounters People.com+6CBS News+6BBC+6.
He allegedly set up a pseudonymous email using his House office to purchase marijuana using Capitol resources, which also violated ethics rules CNBC+13CBS News+13The Guardian+13.
Gaetz accepted luxury travel gifts—such as a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, funded by associates, including women escorts—that exceeded House gift limits, in violation of rules The Guardian+11The Washington Post+11CBS News+11.
He reportedly used his congressional office to help a sexual partner get an expedited passport, falsely declaring her a constituent—an abuse of official resources Reddit+4CBS News+4CBS News+4.
Gaetz declined to voluntarily cooperate or comply with a subpoena, provided minimal documentation, and publicly asserted he could produce exonerating evidence—but never delivered it. The committee found this conduct amounted to efforts to obstruct and mislead the investigation CBS News+1The Guardian+1.
