Joel Leppard, an attorney representing two women who claimed former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, told CNN on Monday that Gaetz paid for sexual favors through his adopted son Nestor’s PayPal account.
While Leppard’s clients were both above the age of consent when they were allegedly paid by Gaetz for sex, they also claimed to have witnessed Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old.
Asked by CNN anchor Erin Burnett, “He had paid also your clients for sex? He was paying for sex?” Leppard said, “The testimony before the House was yes, that Representative Gaetz paid my client, both of my clients, for sexual favors throughout the summer of 2017 to all the way to the beginning of 2019.”
“And how did he pay them?” questioned Burnett, to which Leppard replied, “Primarily through Venmo and PayPal payments. There was one payment through Representative Gaetz’s adopted son, through his PayPal.”
After Burnett asked, “Nestor?” Leppard confirmed, “That’s right. There was only one payment that was testified to.”
Leppard also told Burnett that Gaetz was around 35 when he met his clients, attending events with women who were between “nineteen to mid-twenties.”
Gaetz’s adopted son Nestor made headlines in 2020 after the congressman announced that he had been raising the then-19-year-old brother of his ex-girlfriend as a “single step-parent.”
“For all those wondering, this is my son Nestor. We share no blood but he is my life. He came from Cuba (legally, of course) six years ago and lives with me in Florida,” revealed Gaetz. “I am so proud of him and raising him has been the best, most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life.”
Watch above via CNN.
