Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz is named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit accusing him of sex trafficking, according to reports from MS NOW, The Guardian, CP24, the Miami Herald and The Independent.
The suit alleges that Gaetz trafficked two women in Florida, The Guardian reports. The filing identifies him as the defendant in the civil case, according to The Independent.
Coverage notes that Gaetz was President Donald Trump's first pick for attorney general. He previously served as a U.S. representative from Florida.
The Miami Herald reports that Gaetz publicly identified the women who accused him of sex trafficking, an act commonly described as doxxing.
The reports surfaced Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. The outlets that carried the story include MS NOW, which published its report that day.
Details of the allegations remain limited in the available reporting, and no further specifics about the claims or the plaintiffs have been confirmed beyond what the outlets described.
What to watch next: whether Gaetz or his representatives respond to the lawsuit, and how the civil case proceeds in Florida.
