Two women have filed a federal lawsuit against former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, alleging that he sexually exploited them and violated the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The suit, filed Thursday in Orlando, Florida, accuses Gaetz and other men of engaging in sex trafficking and related conduct.

The allegations stem from events in 2017 when the women, then in their early 20s, say they met Gaetz through Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County tax collector who is currently serving prison time on multiple charges, including sex crimes. According to the lawsuit, Gaetz provided the women with drugs and paid for sex, as well as for out-of-state travel, lodging, and other expenses.

The lawsuit also names Greenberg, an additional individual, and businesses connected to Greenberg’s family. Attorneys for the plaintiffs contend that the arrangement was characterized by an exploitative power dynamic, with Gaetz, Greenberg, and another man holding positions of public authority and financial resources that the women lacked.

Gaetz, a Florida Republican, left Congress following a House Ethics Committee report released in 2024 that concluded he had repeatedly paid for sex, including with a minor, and engaged in other illicit behavior such as drug use and criminal violations. Gaetz denied the accusations at the time, and they played a role in the derailment of his prospective nomination for attorney general under then-President Donald Trump’s second administration.

Responding to the latest lawsuit, Gaetz disputed the claims and emphasized that the case relies heavily on the prior Congressional committee report, which he said did not allow him the opportunity to confront his accusers. In a statement, he said he looked forward to presenting his side in court. Gaetz also shared a 2018 photo on the social platform X, appearing to mock the women involved by suggesting their alleged “cries for help” were posted publicly on social media years earlier.

Since leaving office, Gaetz has hosted a political talk show on One America News Network and was recently appointed to the board of Triumph Gulf Coast, the entity responsible for allocating Florida’s share of funds recovered from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The case is expected to draw significant public and legal scrutiny as it moves forward.