“A new name has surfaced tied to the scandal engulfing Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz: Joe Ellicott, a close friend and former employee of the elected tax collector who pleaded guilty to a host of crimes Monday. Nicknamed ‘Big Joe,’ Ellicott was listed in a federal grand jury subpoena sent to a different individual and obtained by POLITICO. The subpoena also lists Gaetz and two friends of his, including former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, who has agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors as they examine whether Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old and paid her for it.”

“The Dec. 28, 2020 subpoena states that the grand jury is investigating alleged crimes ‘involving commercial sex acts with adult and minor women, as well as obstruction of justice’ and seeks any communications, documents, recordings and payments the individual had with Ellicott, Gaetz and Greenberg from January 2016 until now. Two sources familiar with the investigation say Ellicott is also being scrutinized for alleged sex trafficking of a minor. The grand jury subpoena provides new information on who federal investigators are looking into, as well as additional details on the kinds of information authorities are seeking – documents, video recordings and communications – as they looked into the Republican lawmaker earlier this year. The subpoena, as well as Greenberg’s cooperation with prosecutors, appears to increase the legal peril the congressman is facing. Ellicott didn’t return two messages left on his cellphone” – Politico.