The panel released its damning report on the Florida Republican on Monday.
The United States House Ethics Committee has found that former Representative, Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017.
The panel released its damning report on the Florida Republican on Monday.
“The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favours or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” investigators wrote in the report.
The committee alleged Gaetz violated Florida state laws, including the state’s statutory rape law, though it did not find evidence of violations of federal sex-trafficking laws, CNN reports.
According to the report, Gaetz “used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on multiple occasions” and facilitated payments for sex using platforms like Venmo and PayPal.
One sexual encounter involved a 17-year-old girl in 2017, who told investigators she had sex with Gaetz twice at a party.
“Victim A recalled receiving $400 in cash from Representative Gaetz that evening, which she understood to be payment for sex,” the report states.
Gaetz had denied any wrongdoing. “I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18,” he wrote on X last week.
He also described his past behaviour as embarrassing but insisted it was not criminal.
The investigation also highlighted a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, where Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with multiple women.
The trip allegedly violated House gift rules, with attendees describing it as “payment” for sex.
The committee began investigating Gaetz in 2021 but paused during a separate federal sex-trafficking probe, which concluded in 2023 without charges.
After resuming, the panel voted this month to release its findings, despite opposition from Chairman Michael Guest, who argued Gaetz’s resignation rendered the report unnecessary.
Gaetz’s lawsuit to block the report’s release was dismissed as moot on Monday.
He is set to join the One America News Network as an anchor in January.