Joel Greenberg to pay Seminole County almost $2M in restitution, attorney says

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Former Seminole County Tax Collector made a verbal agreement to pay the county nearly $1.9 million in restitution, according to the Seminole County attorney.

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Attorney Bryant Applegate said at Tuesday’s county commission meeting that Greenberg’s attorney, Fritz Scheller, had reached a tentative agreement with the county for Greenberg to pay back $1.87 million.

READ: 2 associates of Joel Greenberg accused of defrauding real estate investor out of $12 million

County officials said Greenberg spent the money while he was in office to enrich himself and his circle of friends.

Greenberg is currently facing sentencing on six federal charges related to his spending as well as child sex trafficking.

READ: Prosecutors request forfeiture of more than $600,000 in assets from ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg

His sentencing has been pushed back twice as they work to get information from Greenberg about others in his orbit of friends to build potential cases against them.

Applegate said the amount of the restitution was derived from the audit of Greenberg’s office. Officials said Greenberg spent about $472,000 on attorneys, nearly $686,000 for consultants, $98,000 on blockchain and about $2,700 on sports memorabilia.

READ: Audit of Greenberg’s time as tax collector shows contracts with ‘no example of work product’

The county said the first step in collecting restitution was a federal order establishing an account for deposited funds. Officials said either at sentencing or prior to that, funds should be made available in this account for Seminole County to collect restitution.

If the funds are unavailable, the County Attorney’s Office — if approved by the Board of County Commissioners — will further pursue the payments owed.

READ: Judge agrees to delay Joel Greenberg’s sentencing

Stay tuned to Channel 9 Eyewitness News for updates.

Video: Ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg pleads guilty to 6 charges, including child sex trafficking Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to six charges, including child sex trafficking, in federal court on Monday. (Jeff Levkulich, WFTV.com)

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