The lawyer representing two women who testified before the House Ethics Committee about former Rep. Matt Gaetz paying them for “sexual favors” said on Monday that one of the methods Gaetz used to make these payments was through the PayPal account of Nestor Galban, whom Gaetz refers to as his “adopted son.”
Florida attorney Joel Leppard spoke to multiple outlets, including The Washington Post, CBS, and CNN, about the testimony from his clients, which alleges that Gaetz paid for sex on several occasions between 2017 and 2019.
Leppard told The Post that the women were paid through Venmo or other conduits — including Nestor’s PayPal account.
During an interview on CNN, Leppard explained that one of his clients, who was a friend of the minor Gaetz is accused of having sex with, testified that she witnessed the encounter at a July 2017 party. The woman said that, as she walked toward the pool area, she saw Gaetz with the 17-year-old, who was engaged in a sexual act with the congressman.
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Leppard emphasized that his clients’ testimony suggests the payments from Gaetz continued from the summer of 2017 through early 2019. “There were events at Airbnbs, at private homes, at political events,” he said. “They traveled to New York, to the Bahamas—these events happened more than 10 times over the course of that period.”
Gaetz has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and paying for sex. A federal investigation into the claims was closed without charges being filed against him. However, the House Ethics Committee is still reviewing the matter, though it has yet to release a public report on the allegations.
The relationship between Gaetz and his “adopted son” Nestor has raised eyebrows since the congressman first introduced him to the public in 2020. Gaetz described Nestor as the son of an ex-girlfriend, stating at the time, “We share no blood but he is my life.” It remains unclear whether Gaetz formally adopted Nestor.
The allegations against Gaetz have drawn significant attention, and several top Republicans, as well as the lawyer for the minor involved, have called for the House Ethics Committee to release its findings.
Watch Leppard’s interview with CBS News below:
Joel Leppard is the attorney for two women who testified before the House Ethics Committee about former Rep. Matt Gaetz's conduct. Leppard said his clients told the committee that they were paid to have sex with Gaetz. One woman testified she witnessed Gaetz having sex with a… pic.twitter.com/t9tPUSS8Yo
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 18, 2024
