Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida has denied all claims of having any type of relationship with a 17-year-old girl and says the scandal is apart of a criminal extortion attempt involving him and his family.

Gaetz is under investigation after three unidentified sources came forward to discuss a rumored relationship between the representative and the unnamed minor in question around two years ago. The investigation is looking into whether he paid for her to travel across state lines, which would violate federal sex trafficking laws, the New York Times reported.

Gaetz vehemently denied the charges and claimed they stem from an alleged extortion attempt against his family.

"Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name. We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI's direction to catch these criminals," Gaetz said in a statement.

The 38-year-old Gaetz claims that the 17-year-old girl “doesn’t exist” and that the allegations against him are completely false and politically motivated.

"The planted leak to the New York Times tonight was intended to thwart that investigation. No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation. I demand the DOJ immediately release the tapes, made at their direction, which implicate their former colleague in crimes against me based on false allegations," he added.

Gaetz claims that a former Department of Justice prosecutor, David McGee, is the force behind the alleged extortion against the family. McGee flatly denies the charges.

"It is completely false. It's a blatant attempt to distract from the fact that he's under investigation for sex trafficking of minors," McGee told the Washington Post in an interview. "I have no connection with that case at all, other than, one of a thousand people who have heard the rumors."

This investigation comes just after a year another Florida politician, Joel Greenberg, was arrested on charges of sex trafficking of a minor. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to CNN.

One individual briefed on the situation told CNN that these probes and investigations are an “outgrowth of the Greenberg investigation.” Gaetz denies any connection to the case.

"I only know that it has to do with women," Gaetz told the Times. "I have a suspicion that someone is trying to recategorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as something more untoward."

Matt Gaetz, a US congressman from Florida, addressed the first night of the Republican National Convention which was largely being held virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic
Matt Gaetz, a US congressman from Florida, addressed the first night of the Republican National Convention which was largely being held virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic Republican National Convention / -
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