The man accused of extorting $ 25 million from Rep. Matt Gaetz, on Monday admitted asking the congressman’s father for money, but denied it was a shakedown.
Bob Kent, a former Air Force intelligence officer, confirmed to Sirius Radio presenter Michael Smerconish that he had approached the Florida Republican’s father, Don Gaetz, for money last month.
The money, Kent said, was to pay for an attempt to free Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in 2007 and is believed to be dead. Kent claimed he has video evidence that Levinson is still alive and being held hostage.
Kent said he met Don Gaetz, a wealthy former Florida politician, at his office on March 17 – and told him his son was “in legal trouble” and might want to “generate goodwill” by helping with the rescue.
“I’ve explained that there’s no way I’m trying to blackmail him and if he decides not to help us, he’ll never hear from me again,” Kent told Smerconish.
“Matt Gaetz needs good publicity, and I need $ 25 million to save Robert Levinson,” he added.
Kent insisted he did not intend to blackmail the Gaetz family.
“I never threatened the man – it was actually the opposite: I told him that if he decides not to help us, he’ll never hear from me again,” said Kent, adding, “I can’t help how it sounds. “
However, documents obtained by the Washington Examiner showed how Kent reportedly texted Don Gaetz saying he had a plan that could make his son’s “future legal and political troubles” disappear.
Kent also gave Don a document called “Project Homecoming” detailing the alleged federal investigation against Matt Gaetz and alleged that the FBI had pictures of the legislator in a “sexual orgy with underage prostitutes.”
“Our strategy for Congressman Gaetz to mitigate his legal and political troubles would be for him, or someone else, to provide the necessary funds to obtain the immediate release of Robert Levinson from imprisonment in Iran,” said the document.
Kent said the document was prepared by Stephen Alford, a Florida developer who was previously charged with fraud.
Transfer of the funds, Kent said, would have all been “overboard,” with the money funneled through David McGee, a former federal prosecutor who has served as the Levinson family’s attorney.
Don Gaetz contacted the FBI about the proposal and the agency is investigating whether it is an extortion attempt against the Gaetz clan, The Washington Post reported last week.
Kent said he has been interviewed by the FBI and cooperates.
It is unclear how Kent and his cohorts knew that Matt Gaetz, 38, was under investigation by the Justice Department.
The New York Times reported last week that the DOJ is investigating whether Gaetz paid a 17-year-old for sex and enticed her to travel, which would violate federal sex trafficking laws.
After the report broke, Gaetz publicly linked the investigation to what he claimed was an extortion attempt against his family by McGee.
The ex-DOJ official said Gaetz’s charge was bogus and told the Washington Post, “It is a blatant attempt to distract him from being investigated for sex trafficking of minors.”
The probe in Gaetz would also focus on whether the congressman paid to have sex with various women recruited online.
He has denied the allegations.