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N.Y Times reveals sex trafficking probe.<\/p>\n
Bob Kent, one of the men Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., claims was behind an extortion attempt in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct involving underage girls, admits that he asked Gaetz\u2019s father for $25 million \u2014 but insists it was not extortion.<\/p>\n
In an interview with radio personality Michael Smerconish on Monday, Kent said he needed money to help locate missing FBI agent Robert Levinson and he had heard that Gaetz was under investigation, so he saw an opportunity that could be mutually beneficial.<\/p>\n
ORGY, UNDERAGE GIRLS, SEX GAMES AND EXTORTION: INSIDE THE ALLEGATIONS SURROUNDING REP. MATT GAETZ<\/strong><\/p>\n “Matt Gaetz is in need of good publicity, and I\u2019m in need of $25 million to rescue Robert Levinson,” Kent said.<\/p>\n Levinson\u2019s own family presumes him to be dead after he disappeared in 2007. Kent claims he has seen video evidence that leads him to believe Levinson is alive in Iran.<\/p>\n Kent, who says he is now a consultant after working in Air Force intelligence, acknowledged that he met with Gaetz\u2019s father, Don Gaetz, and asked for the money.<\/p>\n “At first he started laughing and he said, \u2018You know we get these extortion attempts all the time,\u2019” Kent recalled. “And I said whoa, stop. This is not an extortion attempt. I\u2019m not trying to extort him, I\u2019m not, you know, that\u2019s not what we\u2019re doing here.” He said he then showed Don Gaetz video evidence that Levinson was alive, which interested him.<\/p>\n Kent insisted to Smerconish that there was no extortion involved.<\/p>\n “I never threatened the man \u2014 matter of fact, it was the opposite: I told him if he decides not to help us, he\u2019ll never hear from me again,” he claimed. “I said if you want to help us, keep everything legal and above-board, it\u2019ll have to go through the law firm,” he continued, referring to Levinson family attorney David McGee, with whom he had been working.<\/p>\n Fox News reached out to Gaetz’s office for a response to Kent’s claims, but they did not immediately respond. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n Details of the proposed arrangement came to light when the Washington Examiner reported on a document titled Project Homecoming, which claims the FBI had learned of “compromising pictures” of Gaetz. <\/p>\n The document said that “to mitigate his legal, and political, troubles” Gaetz could arrange for the payment of the $25 million needed to free Levinson, in exchange for credit for the operation and a recommendation that President Biden issue Gaetz a pardon.<\/p>\n Kent told Smerconish that he did not write the Project Homecoming document, and said it was penned by Stephen Alford. Alford has multiple fraud-related arrests and served a 10-year federal prison sentence for fraud.<\/p>\n Folllowing a New York Times report that said Gaetz is currently the subject of a federal sex trafficking investigation involving a then-17-year-old girl, the congressman denied wrongdoing and said he was the target of an extortion attempt.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net\/v1\/static\/694940094001\/cfda890d-3e61-45f3-bcae-0c757d16c748\/3235903f-6a14-4976-aa9f-8aed5068de0f\/1280x720\/match\/720\/405\/image.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
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