Gaetz sexual conquest game allegations resurface

Amid an ongoing federal probe into GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) for potential sex trafficking and other related charges, allegations have resurfaced that the congressman participated in a “game” while serving in the Florida state House in which he allegedly scored his female sexual conquests. 

ABC News reported Friday that sources said that during his time in the state House, Gaetz and a group of other young male lawmakers participated in the game, in which they would allegedly grant points for different women, including interns, staffers and other female colleagues in the state House. 

One source said that a group of women that the male lawmakers believed were “virgins” were also targets of the alleged scoring game. 

Sources also told ABC News that Gaetz, who served in the state House while his father was in the Florida Senate, was often referred to as “Baby Gaetz,” and his father “Daddy Gaetz.” 

Some women who worked in the state House instead opted to call the younger lawmaker “Creepy Gaetz,” following several alleged uncomfortable encounters with him, the sources said. 

Allegations of the scoring game initially surfaced in 2013 when then-Miami Herald reporter Marc Caputo, who now works for Politico, tweeted about the scoring system among some of the male Florida state representatives. 

In January of last year, fellow Florida state Rep. Chris Latvala (R) brought up the allegations when he engaged in a Twitter battle with Gaetz, with Latvala claiming that Gaetz “created a game where members of the FL House got ‘points’ for sleeping with aides, interns, lobbyists, and married legislators.” 

Gaetz denied the allegations at the time, saying in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times that he had “no idea what Chris was talking about.” 

The Hill has reached out to Gaetz’s office for comment. 

The resurfaced claims come after The New York Times reported Tuesday that Gaetz was being investigated by the Department of Justice over whether he had sex with a 17-year-old girl and if he violated any sex trafficking laws by paying for her travels. 

Gaetz has denied having sex with a minor, claiming that he and his family are targets of an extortion scheme by a former Justice Department official seeking millions of dollars.

The Times reported Thursday that the federal probe also involves cash allegedly paid to multiple women who were recruited for sex online. 

The investigation into Gaetz is reportedly part of a larger probe into former Seminole County, Fla., tax collector Joel Greenberg, who allegedly met women online on websites for dates in exchange for gifts and travel.