Joel Greenberg , a former associate of Rep.Matt Gaetz , has requested a second delay in sentencing.- The former tax collector pled guilty to six charges in May, including paying for sex with a minor.
- Greenberg's lawyer requested the delay so he can continue to cooperate with federal investigators.
Joel Greenberg, a former Florida tax collector and longtime associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz, has requested another delay in sentencing after pleading guilty to six federal charges in May, including knowingly paying for sex with a minor, as he continues to aid prosecutors with a sweeping federal investigation.
The former Seminole County elected official agreed to give investigators "substantial assistance" with their federal inquiry as part of a plea deal he struck last spring to avoid several of the additional 33 federal charges he faced, including fraud and identity theft.
Greenberg was initially set to be sentenced in August, but a judge granted a previous request to reschedule it to November 18. Now, Greenberg's lawyer is asking for an additional delay.
Fritz Scheller, who is representing Greenberg, filed a motion on Monday requesting his client's sentencing be pushed back an additional five months to March 2022 so that he can continue to cooperate with federal prosecutors.
Scheller writes that Greenberg has already participated in a series of meetings with prosecutors and anticipates continuing to help investigators, which could impact his final sentence.
"Said cooperation, which could impact his ultimate sentence, cannot be completed prior to the time of his sentencing," Scheller wrote.
The attorney declined to comment on the matter any further.
In his request, which was reviewed by Insider, Scheller writes that the government does not oppose a further delay in Greenberg's sentencing amid the ongoing investigation. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Prosecutors are still investigating whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old that violated sex-trafficking laws and whether the Florida congressman and his allies obstructed justice. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing and has vehemently denied all the allegations against him.
Attorneys for Gaetz did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Greenberg has been a key figure in the ongoing federal investigation into Gaetz, providing prosecutors with information since last year. According to an April New York Times report, Greenberg is said to have told investigators about an "array of topics," including that he and Gaetz had interactions with women who were given cash and gifts in exchange for sex.