An unidentified hacker has reportedly gained access to a secure computer file containing damaging testimony related to Matt Gaetz, the former Florida congressman and President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General. The file, which was shared among lawyers representing clients involved in a civil lawsuit, includes sworn testimony that could complicate Gaetz’s nomination.
The file, consisting of 24 exhibits, allegedly contains a woman’s testimony claiming she had sex with Gaetz in 2017 when she was 17, along with a second woman’s testimony stating she witnessed the encounter, the New York Times reports. The information was downloaded by someone using the name “Altam Beezley” at 1:23 p.m. on Monday, though the hacker’s identity remains unclear. A lawyer connected to the case who attempted to contact the hacker received an automated reply stating the email address did not exist.
While the hacked documents have not been publicly released, they include material under seal with both the Justice Department, which previously investigated Gaetz but did not file charges, and the House Ethics Committee, which has completed its own inquiry into him. The Ethics Committee is expected to meet this Wednesday to decide whether to release its findings.
The stolen file, however, is linked to a separate legal matter: a civil lawsuit filed by Christopher Dorworth, a Florida businessman and Gaetz associate. Dorworth is suing both the woman who claims Gaetz sexually assaulted her and Joel Greenberg, a former Gaetz ally who is serving an 11-year prison sentence for federal sex trafficking charges. Dorworth alleges defamation by the woman and Greenberg, who both accused him of hosting parties where he, Gaetz, and others engaged in drugs and sex.
The file contains testimony from multiple individuals, including the two women, Dorworth and his wife, and Michael Fischer, Gaetz’s former campaign treasurer, who is also reportedly a witness. The exhibits also include gate logs from Dorworth’s property, documenting who entered the home during the time of the alleged encounter in July 2017.
The hacker reportedly obtained unredacted versions of the documents, which contain personal information of the witnesses. Sources suggest that the information is more damaging to Gaetz than to his accusers, though the hacker’s motive remains unclear. As of Tuesday morning, the hacker had not contacted any of the lawyers involved in the case.
