AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 09, 2021 at 10:13 amAlthough federal prosecutors and Joel Greenberg’s attorney , the former Seminole County Tax Collector pleaded not guilty Friday morning to the latest charges against him.Those include that include he used his public position to divert more than $400,000 of public money to himself and that he bribed a government official to obtain fraudulent loans through a program meant to help small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.AdvertisementGreenberg’s latest not-guilty plea, which was expected, happened during a brief hearing before...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 09, 2021 at 10:13 amAlthough federal prosecutors and Joel Greenberg’s attorney , the former Seminole County Tax Collector pleaded not guilty Friday morning to the latest charges against him.Those include that include he used his public position to divert more than $400,000 of public money to himself and that he bribed a government official to obtain fraudulent loans through a program meant to help small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.AdvertisementGreenberg’s latest not-guilty plea, which was expected, happened during a brief hearing before...WW…

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 02, 2021 at 10:01 pmJoel Greenberg and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz on at least one occasion several years ago were recorded together entering the Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office when it was closed on a weekend night, according to a person familiar with office operations who saw the videotape.The person said the footage showed Greenberg and Gaetz walking into the Tax Collector’s Lake Mary office on Primera Drive. Greenberg was seen going through baskets where driver’s licenses, turned in by residents for disposal, were stored and later went into a back...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 02, 2021 at 10:01 pmJoel Greenberg and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz on at least one occasion several years ago were recorded together entering the Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office when it was closed on a weekend night, according to a person familiar with office operations who saw the videotape.The person said the footage showed Greenberg and Gaetz walking into the Tax Collector’s Lake Mary office on Primera Drive. Greenberg was seen going through baskets where driver’s licenses, turned in by residents for disposal, were stored and later went into a back...WW…

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 02, 2021 at 12:26 pmJoel Greenberg’s political career looked promising just over a year ago: He was set to run for re-election as Seminole County’s tax collector — pledging nearly half a million dollars of his Bitcoin investments into his campaign — and was even contemplating a run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy.Having won elected office at just 31 years old in 2016, he had since expressed boredom with the job but seemed to relish his connections with people of wealth and influence, including developer and former state legislator Chris...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 02, 2021 at 12:26 pmJoel Greenberg’s political career looked promising just over a year ago: He was set to run for re-election as Seminole County’s tax collector — pledging nearly half a million dollars of his Bitcoin investments into his campaign — and was even contemplating a run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy.Having won elected office at just 31 years old in 2016, he had since expressed boredom with the job but seemed to relish his connections with people of wealth and influence, including developer and former state legislator Chris...WW…

/Now sex trafficking probes take aim at both.ORLANDO — Joel Greenberg’s political career looked promising just over a year ago: He was set to run for reelection as Seminole County’s tax collector — pledging nearly half a million dollars of his Bitcoin investments to his campaign — and was even contemplating a run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy.Having won elected office at just 31 years old in 2016, he had since expressed boredom with the job but seemed to relish his connections with people of wealth and influence, including developer and former state legislator Chris...…/Now sex trafficking probes take aim at both.ORLANDO — Joel Greenberg’s political career looked promising just over a year ago: He was set to run for reelection as Seminole County’s tax collector — pledging nearly half a million dollars of his Bitcoin investments to his campaign — and was even contemplating a run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy.Having won elected office at just 31 years old in 2016, he had since expressed boredom with the job but seemed to relish his connections with people of wealth and influence, including developer and former state legislator Chris...WW…

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 02, 2021 at 10:01 pmJoel Greenberg and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz on at least one occasion several years ago were recorded together entering the Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office when it was closed on a weekend night, according to a person familiar with office operations who saw the videotape.The person said the footage showed Greenberg and Gaetz walking into the Tax Collector’s Lake Mary office on Primera Drive. Greenberg was seen going through baskets where driver’s licenses, turned in by residents for disposal, were stored and later went into a back...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 02, 2021 at 10:01 pmJoel Greenberg and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz on at least one occasion several years ago were recorded together entering the Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office when it was closed on a weekend night, according to a person familiar with office operations who saw the videotape.The person said the footage showed Greenberg and Gaetz walking into the Tax Collector’s Lake Mary office on Primera Drive. Greenberg was seen going through baskets where driver’s licenses, turned in by residents for disposal, were stored and later went into a back...WW…

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelMar 31, 2021 at 5:55 pmJust five days after he appeared in shackles in a federal courtroom, accused by prosecutors of stalking a political opponent, Joel Greenberg filed paperwork with the state to resurrect a pair of defunct companies, Greenberg Media and DG3 Network.He would later use those businesses to obtain more than $432,000 in fraudulent loans through a program meant to help small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic — with the help of a federal employee whom he had bribed, prosecutors now allege.AdvertisementThose and other new allegations were...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelMar 31, 2021 at 5:55 pmJust five days after he appeared in shackles in a federal courtroom, accused by prosecutors of stalking a political opponent, Joel Greenberg filed paperwork with the state to resurrect a pair of defunct companies, Greenberg Media and DG3 Network.He would later use those businesses to obtain more than $432,000 in fraudulent loans through a program meant to help small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic — with the help of a federal employee whom he had bribed, prosecutors now allege.AdvertisementThose and other new allegations were...WW…

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelMar 31, 2021 at 9:49 pmFederal authorities are investigating potential sex trafficking violations by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a probe that emerged from the prosecution of former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, according to .Citing three people briefed on the matter, the Times reported Tuesday that Justice Department investigators are looking into whether Gaetz, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him.AdvertisementThe probe of Gaetz reportedly stemmed from...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelMar 31, 2021 at 9:49 pmFederal authorities are investigating potential sex trafficking violations by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a probe that emerged from the prosecution of former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, according to .Citing three people briefed on the matter, the Times reported Tuesday that Justice Department investigators are looking into whether Gaetz, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him.AdvertisementThe probe of Gaetz reportedly stemmed from...WW…

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelJan 14, 2021 at 4:53 pmHundreds of people have signed a petition demanding that Casselberry Commissioner Mark Busch resign after he is seen on video at a local Trump rally a day before last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol making comments that seem to support the violent uprising that left five people dead.“We cannot allow our elected officials to speak violent rhetoric and get away with it,” said Emily Orey, a Casselberry resident, who is part of the petition drive to oust Busch. “This is completely inappropriate for a public official, who is supposed to be...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelJan 14, 2021 at 4:53 pmHundreds of people have signed a petition demanding that Casselberry Commissioner Mark Busch resign after he is seen on video at a local Trump rally a day before last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol making comments that seem to support the violent uprising that left five people dead.“We cannot allow our elected officials to speak violent rhetoric and get away with it,” said Emily Orey, a Casselberry resident, who is part of the petition drive to oust Busch. “This is completely inappropriate for a public official, who is supposed to be...WW…

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelMay 12, 2020 at 6:12 pmSeminole County on Tuesday enacted a new noise ordinance with strict regulations that officials hope will quell loud music, rein in noisy venues and give residents in neighborhoods near commercial areas some peace and quiet.“I love what’s going on here, and I’m totally in support of this ordinance,” said Jonas Pearson to commissioners before the board unanimously approved the new ordinance. “It’s been a long time coming.”AdvertisementPearson is among dozens of residents of a south Seminole neighborhood who have long complained about...…AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelMay 12, 2020 at 6:12 pmSeminole County on Tuesday enacted a new noise ordinance with strict regulations that officials hope will quell loud music, rein in noisy venues and give residents in neighborhoods near commercial areas some peace and quiet.“I love what’s going on here, and I’m totally in support of this ordinance,” said Jonas Pearson to commissioners before the board unanimously approved the new ordinance. “It’s been a long time coming.”AdvertisementPearson is among dozens of residents of a south Seminole neighborhood who have long complained about...WW…