These were Central Florida’s biggest stories in 2022
Hurricane IanHurricane Ian floods streets in Osceola County (WFTV)Hurricane Ian devastated portions of Central Florida when it made landfall in southwestern Florida at 3:10 p.m. on Sept. 28 as a Category 4 storm. Nicole came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the state. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Tyre SampsonIN-DEPTH: 14-year-old dies after falling off Orlando FreeFall Safety expert: ‘I have serious concerns’ about harness in teen’s death on Orlando FreeFallIn March, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson tragically fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall drop ride at ICON Park. READ: NASA’s Artemis I rocket begins journey to moon after launching from Florida’s Space CoastThat includes a test of the Orion heat shield. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 WFTV Election Results WFTV is committed to bringing complete coverage of the 2022 midterm elections.
wftv.comJoel Greenberg’s attorney pushing for more prosecutions
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg’s attorney is lashing out at the Department of Justice in Washington, pushing it to pursue charges against people his client implicated in other crimes during his investigation. Read: Joel Greenberg: Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector sentenced to 11 yearsThat federal rule, 35 (b), requires Greenberg’s substantial assistance in investigating or prosecuting another person. Video: Joel Greenberg: Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector sentenced to 11 years Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Thursday. Watch: Joel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcriptHe said some of that was taxpayer money. The earliest the government could file a motion for a sentence reduction under 35 (b) is one year from the date of Greenberg’s sentencing.
wftv.comSeminole County school bus driver arrested after allegations of child abuse on bus, district says
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A Seminole County bus driver was arrested late Thursday afternoon for allegations of child abuse after an incident on a school bus, the district said. The incident happened on Monday, but school and law enforcement were not notified until late in the day on Nov. 30. READ: Search underway for suspect who drove on wrong side of 520, killing motorcyclistThe employee was immediately removed from his duties and then placed on administrative leave while the investigation is pending, according to Seminole County Public Schools. A bus monitor who was present at the time was also placed on administrative leave for failing to report the incident. READ: Search underway for suspect who drove on wrong side of 520, killing motorcyclistVideo: Joel Greenberg: Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector sentenced to 11 years Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Thursday.
wftv.comDeputies trying to identify a man wanted for questioning in Dunnellon homicide
MARION COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies in Marion County are seeking the public’s help to identify a man wanted for questioning in connection with a homicide near Dunnellon on Nov. 28.
Investigators said they were called to the area of Walnut Street by Dunnellon police early Monday morning about a possible homicide.
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Gaetz friend gets 11 years for sex crime, other counts
Joel Greenberg, former tax collector for Seminole County, had pleaded guilty to six federal crimes, also including identity theft, stalking, wire fraud and conspiracy to bribe a public official. Prosecutors said he paid at least one girl to have sex with him and other men. Greenberg's attorney had asked U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell for leniency, saying that his client had assisted in investigations of 24 people, including eight for sex crimes. Greenberg's cooperation could play a role in an investigation into his friend Gaetz over whether he paid a 17-year-old girl for sex. Federal prosecutors had asked for a significant reduction in Greenberg's prison sentence, agreeing during a court hearing on Wednesday to a reduced range of nine years and three months to 11 years.
wftv.comDaytona Beach police investigating officer-involved shooting
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach police are investigating an officer-involved shooting Thursday morning. Officers said the shooting happened at 2550 W. International Speedway Blvd. Police have not said if anyone was injured in the shooting, or who fired the shots. Read: Joel Greenberg: Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector to be sentenced ThursdayStay tuned to Channel 9 Eyewitness News for updates. Currently working an officer involved shooting at 2550 W ISB.
wftv.comGaetz friend to be sentenced on sex crimes, other counts
Greenberg pleaded guilty to six federal crimes, including sex trafficking of a minor, identity theft, stalking, wire fraud and conspiracy to bribe a public official. Prosecutors said he paid at least one girl to have sex with him and other men. “He has provided significant substantial assistance to the government in the areas of public corruption, election fraud, wire fraud, and sex trafficking," Scheller wrote. Greenberg's cooperation could play a role in the ongoing investigation into Gaetz over whether he paid a 17-year-old for sex. So far, none has been implicated by name in the sex trafficking investigation.
wftv.comJoel Greenberg: Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector to be sentenced Thursday
ORLANDO, Fla. — The disgraced former Seminole County tax collector, Joel Greenberg, is set to learn his fate Thursday. Watch: Joel Greenberg: Former tax collector to pay Seminole County nearly $1.3MHis lawyer told the judge that Greenberg deserves a lighter sentence because he has been helping federal officials with other serious cases that are already being prosecuted. Watch: Joel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcriptThen in July, Greenberg was accused of making fake driver’s licenses. Greenberg pleaded guilty to six charges, including child sex trafficking and aggravated identity theft. Watch: Ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg pleads guilty to 6 charges, including child sex traffickingThe charges carry up to a 27-year sentence.
wftv.comFormer Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg to be sentenced for sex trafficking, fraud charges this morning
Joel Greenberg will be sentenced this morning. The former Seminole County Tax Collector has pleaded guilty to fraud, sex trafficking and stalking, but his sentencing...
orlandoweekly.com‘Betrayed your trust:’ Joel Greenberg sentenced to 11 years in prison for child sex trafficking, fraud
Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years in prison after facing a judge for several federal charges, including child sex trafficking and aggravated identity theft.
Former Seminole tax collector Joel Greenberg appears in federal court Wednesday
ORLANDO, Fla. — Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg is set to be in court one last time before he’s sentenced. Greenberg pleaded guilty to six charges, including sex trafficking of a minor. Watch: Joel Greenberg: Former tax collector to pay Seminole County nearly $1.3MIt stems from an investigation into his spending habits at the tax collector’s office. Watch: Ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg pleads guilty to 6 charges, including child sex traffickingLast month, Greenberg agreed to wire the county more than a million dollars to make up for the money investigators said he misused while in office. Watch: Joel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcriptClick here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
wftv.comGaetz friend says lighter sentence deserved for cooperation
Prosecutors said he had paid at least one underage girl to have sex with him and other men. His attorney, Fritz Scheller, told a federal judge overseeing Greenberg's sentencing that the jurist has the discretion to reduce the prison time even further. Based on such a recognition, he has been trying to make amends through cooperation and the payment of restitution," Scheller said. Greenberg's cooperation could play a role in the ongoing probe into Gaetz, who is being investigated over whether he paid a 17-year-old for sex. “Unfortunately, at the time of Greenberg’s sentencing, many of these individuals have not been held to account," Scheller said.
wftv.comProsecutors: Reduced sentence, prison time for Gaetz friend
A former Florida tax collector whose arrest on sex trafficking and identity theft charges led to a probe of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz should get his sentence reduced for cooperating with authorities, but he still deserves prison time to send a message that no public official is above the law, federal prosecutors said in court papers. Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg is facing a 12-year prison sentence when he is sentenced in federal court in Orlando, Florida in two weeks.
news.yahoo.comJoel Greenberg: Former tax collector to pay Seminole County nearly $1.3M
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Disgraced former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg plans to wire the county nearly $1.3 million to make up for the hundreds of thousands of dollars investigators say he misused while he was in office. Bryant Applegate, interim county manager and county attorney, said this is a first step in the process of seeking further restitution. Read: Joel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcriptApplegate said he’s turning over all files to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and requesting an investigation. Read: 2 associates of Joel Greenberg accused of defrauding real estate investor out of $12 millionGreenberg is set for sentencing in December. Video: Joel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcript For the first time, we’re hearing details about what former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg is telling investigators as he waits to be sentenced.
wftv.comReport: Rep. Gaetz may face no charges in sex-trafficking probe
Career prosecutors told the U.S. Justice Dept. that they are recommending against charging Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, in a sex-trafficking investigation involving disgraced Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, according to a report in The Washington Post.
Democrats demand Brodeur resign, drop out of race following ghost candidate allegations
LAKE MARY, Fla. — Several state Democratic lawmakers are calling for state Sen. Jason Brodeur to resign, after allegations he knew about a ghost candidate scheme have come to light. Representative Joy Goff-Marcil of Maitland, who is challenging Brodeur for the newly created Senate District 10 seat, was joined by several other Seminole County democrats demanding that the state senator resign. Read: Joel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcriptStanding outside Brodeur’s Lake Mary offices Thursday, Democrats also called on Gov. A third-party ghost candidate, Jestine Iannotti, who didn’t campaign, received nearly 5,800 votes. Also at stake is Brodeur’s role as Seminole County Chamber of Commerce president.
wftv.comJoel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcript
One of those cases involved the ghost candidate scheme in the 9th District state Senate race in 2020. A third party ghost candidate, Jestine Iannotti, who didn’t campaign, received nearly 5,800 votes. Watch: Woman accused in Seminole County ‘ghost candidate’ investigation takes the standParis was convicted on campaign finance violations on Thursday. Greenberg told investigators in a jailhouse interview that Brodeur was aware of the plan to run a ghost candidate in his race. According to a 119-page transcript from the June 23 jailhouse interview, Greenberg told investigators Brodeur was present along with Ben Paris during conversations about running a third-party candidate.
wftv.comJoel Greenberg claims Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur knew of ‘ghost candidate’ plot, records show
An interview transcript released this week in the “ghost candidate” case in Seminole County accuses a Florida state senator of being aware of the plan to get an independent candidate to siphon votes from his opponent.
Ex-Pence Chief of Staff Rips Matt Gaetz: He’ll ‘Likely’ Be in Jail in 2024
CNNMarc Short, former Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, on Monday dismissed comments from Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) about Pence’s presidential prospects, adding that he would be surprised if the Florida congressman isn’t convicted of child sex trafficking by the time of the 2024 election.CNN’s Erin Burnett asked Short to react to part of a speech Gaetz gave Monday at a conference organized by Turning Point USA, a right-wing youth activist group. Gaetz declared, “Our America is
news.yahoo.comGaetz friend faces December sentencing as he helps in probes
Sentencing for a former Florida tax collector whose arrest led to a probe of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz has been set for December, as his lawyer indicated that his client continues to cooperate with federal investigators in multiple jurisdictions. After several postponements, former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg will be sentenced on Dec. 1 in federal court in Orlando for six federal crimes, including sex trafficking of a child, identity theft, stalking, wire fraud and conspiracy to bribe a public official, according to an order filed this week. Greenberg faces a minimum 12 years in prison, although court papers indicate his attorney plans to ask for less because of his continuing cooperation with federal prosecutors.
news.yahoo.comFormer Seminole tax collector Joel Greenberg to be sentenced Dec. 1
More than 18 months after former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg began cooperating with federal prosecutors as part of a plea agreement, a judge is scheduled to sentence Greenberg on six criminal charges including child sex trafficking.
Former Seminole tax collector Joel Greenberg sentencing is being set
More than a year after Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to six federal charges including child sex trafficking, the former Seminole County tax collector's sentencing hearing is in the process of being set, newly filed court records show.
US Rep. Gaetz associate receives another sentencing delay
A federal judge has approved yet another sentencing delay for a former Florida tax collector who was a close associate of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell said in an order Monday that a sealed status report filed by prosecutors justifies postponing the sentencing of Joel Greenberg until August. The sentencing has been delayed twice previously.
news.yahoo.comFormer Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg to be sentenced in August
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — After months of delays, former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg is set to be sentenced in August. Greenberg pleaded guilty last year to six charges including sex trafficking a minor, identity theft, wire fraud and conspiracy. Greenberg is believed to be cooperating with federal agents who are building a case against Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz. READ: Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg asks for sentencing delay as he works with fedsGaetz is accused of sex trafficking, but has not been charged with any crime, and has denied ever paying for sex. Video: Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg asks for sentencing delay In court papers, Greenberg’s attorney said his client had been cooperating with federal prosecutors in Orlando and Washington in active investigations.
wftv.comFormer Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg asks for sentencing delay as he works with feds
WATCH: Joel Greenberg to pay Seminole County almost $2M in restitution, attorney saysJoel Greenberg’s attorney on Friday asked a federal judge in Orlando to allow him to file a motion seeking a delay in the sentencing hearing currently scheduled for March 29. In court papers, Greenberg’s attorney said his client had been cooperating with federal prosecutors in Orlando and Washington in active investigations. WATCH: Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg faces new charges related to pandemic loansBecause of the confidential nature of that information, that request and any subsequent hearing should be sealed and kept out of the public eye, Scheller said in the court papers. The judge later on Friday granted the request to seal the motion asking for a delay. WATCH: New documents detail deputy run-ins with former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel GreenbergGreenberg’s plea agreement with prosecutors requires continued cooperation with an ongoing probe into sex trafficking.
wftv.comGaetz friend asks for sentencing delay as he works with feds
A former Florida tax collector whose arrest led to a federal probe into U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz wants a judge to delay his sentencing scheduled for next month for yet another time as he continues to cooperate with federal prosecutors. Joel Greenberg's attorney on Friday asked a federal judge in Orlando, Florida, to allow him to file a motion seeking a delay in the sentencing hearing currently scheduled for March 29. U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell previously granted two delays.
news.yahoo.comFormer Seminole tax collector seeks another sentencing delay
Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg is once again asking a judge to delay his sentencing on federal charges as he continues to cooperate with authorities “against multiple individuals,” according to newly filed court papers.
Witness Can Confirm Matt Gaetz Was Told He Had Sex With a Minor
Anna MoneymakerOn Sept. 4, 2017, according to his confession letter, Joel Greenberg called his friend Rep. Matt Gaetz with some bad news.A teenager both men had paid to have sex with was underage, Greenberg claimed. Now, two sources tell The Daily Beast, a cooperating witness can confirm details of that call for one damning reason: He was in Greenberg’s office when the call took place.The witness, “Big Joe” Ellicott—Greenberg’s longtime best friend and an employee at the Seminole County tax offi
news.yahoo.comReport: Rep. Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend enters Orlando courthouse where grand jury is meeting
Rep. Matt Gaetz speaks to supporters at ‘America First’ rally in The Villages Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz took the stage in The Villages on Friday to address hundreds of supporters packed into a ballroom. ORLANDO, Fla. — An ex-girlfriend of Rep. Matt Gaetz entered an Orlando federal courthouse where a grand jury is meeting, alongside her lawyer on Wednesday, according to reports from CNN. CNN reported that a source familiar with the case previously said Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend, a former Capitol Hill staffer, was expected to testify before the grand jury investigating Gaetz. READ: Texts, voicemail link Rep. Matt Gaetz, former Seminole County tax collector Joel GreenbergMultiple people familiar with the case told CNN that a grand jury has been meeting at the George C. Young Federal Annex Courthouse regarding the Gaetz investigation. CNN reported that the lawyer for the ex-girlfriend, Timothy Jansen, declined to comment, as did a Justice Department spokesman.
wftv.comJoel Greenberg agrees to pay Seminole County nearly $1.9 million in restitution, attorney says
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Former Seminole County Tax Collector made a verbal agreement to pay the county nearly $1.9 million in restitution, according to the Seminole County attorney. Attorney Bryant Applegate said at Tuesday’s county commission meeting that Greenberg’s attorney, Fritz Scheller, had reached a tentative agreement with the county for Greenberg to pay back $1.87 million. Officials said either at sentencing or prior to that, funds should be made available in this account for Seminole County to collect restitution. If the funds are unavailable, the County Attorney’s Office — if approved by the Board of County Commissioners — will further pursue the payments owed. READ: Judge agrees to delay Joel Greenberg’s sentencingThe amount expected to be returned to taxpayers was derived from Seminole County’s audit of Greenberg’s administration.
wftv.com2 associates of Joel Greenberg accused of defrauding real estate investor out of $12 million
Federal indictment Two associates of former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg were indicted last week, accused of defrauding a real estate investor of $12 million.
(WFTV.com News Staff)Two associates of former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg were indicted last week, accused of defrauding a real estate investor of $12 million.
Keith Ingersoll and James Adamczyk are facing charges related to property sales in six states and the Bahamas.
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Joel Greenberg’s estranged wife seeks to sell couple’s Heathrow home
As former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg awaits sentencing on child sex trafficking and other federal charges, his estranged wife is asking a judge for permission to sell the couple’s home in Lake Mary’s Heathrow community.
Judge sets hearing date as former tax collector Joel Greenberg seeks delay in sentencing
Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg is asking a judge to postpone his sentencing on child sex trafficking and other criminal charges until March 2022 so he can continue cooperating with federal authorities on other investigations, according to a newly filed court motion.
Gaetz friend asks for more time to cooperate with feds
Gaetz Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and his wife Ginger Luckey walk through the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. Greenberg asked the federal judge in a court filing to move his sentencing date from mid-November to next March. Gaetz, a Republican who represents much of the Florida Panhandle, was not mentioned in Greenberg's plea agreement. But Greenberg's cooperation could play a role in an ongoing investigation into whether Gaetz paid a 17-year-old girl for sex. Meanwhile, in Pensacola, a man accused of orchestrating the extortion plot linked to Gaetz's federal sex investigation pleaded not guilty Friday in federal court.
wftv.comEx-Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg seeks delay in sentencing
Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg is asking a judge to postpone his sentencing on child sex trafficking and other criminal charges until March 2022 so he can continue cooperating with federal authorities on other investigations, according to a newly filed court motion.
Gaetz friend asks for more time to cooperate with feds
Joel Greenberg, the friend of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz who pleaded guilty earlier this year to sex trafficking, asked a judge on Tuesday to postpone his sentencing until next year so he can continue cooperating with federal authorities. Greenberg asked the federal judge in a court filing to move his sentencing date from mid-November to next March. The extra time will give the former local tax collector from an Orlando suburb more time to sit for interviews with federal investigators, the filing said.
news.yahoo.comWhat Matt Gaetz’s Legal Lineup Tells Us About His Troubles
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Photos Getty ImagesWhile the federal sex crimes investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has not fueled the kinds of explosive headlines it generated when the news first broke in late March, the case shows no signs of a slowdown.In fact, legal experts told The Daily Beast, the perceived lull is nothing outside the norm and can be chalked up to a number of factors—including a wide range of charges that investigators could be exploring. Although Gaetz and his
news.yahoo.comProsecutors request forfeiture of more than $600,000 in assets from ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lawyers for the U.S. Government have requested a forfeiture of more than $650,000 former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg admitted he stole from the county as part of a guilty plea. In May, Greenberg pleaded guilty to six charges in federal court including child sex trafficking and wire fraud. The motion requests that Greenberg’s assets be included as a possible substitute for the funds. READ: Trial delayed for father accused of murdering his familyThe government is asking the judge to include the forfeiture when Greenberg’s sentence is announced. Greenberg was originally scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 19, but the judge approved a motion to postpone his sentencing until Nov. 18.
wftv.comEx-Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg accessed restricted database on nearly 300 people, officials say
Officials say Joel Greenberg, the friend of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz who pleaded guilty earlier this year to identity theft and other charges, accessed a restricted state database through his position as a local tax collector in Florida to look up information on hundreds of people.
Joel Greenberg stalking victim demands state to review former tax collector’s case
As Seminole County’s former tax collector awaits sentencing on federal charges including child sex trafficking and stalking a political rival, one of Joel Greenberg’s victims is demanding an outside review into how state and local authorities initially investigated the elected official.
Joel Greenberg’s stalking victim speaks about former Seminole tax collector’s guilty plea
The man who investigators say was the target of an online smear campaign perpetrated by Joel Greenberg spoke to the media on Monday as the former Seminole County tax collector pleaded guilty in federal court to six charges, including child sex trafficking.
Joel Greenberg scandal: Who’s who in the federal investigation?
According to a forensic audit completed after Joel Greenberg left office, the one-time Seminole County Tax Collector used his newly acquired power to reward family, friends and the politically connected with questionable contracts, totaling more than $1 million in wasted taxpayer dollars.