Gaetz's alleged extorter confirms he wanted $25M, denies shakedown

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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’s father for $25 million — but insists it was not extortion.

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.

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Kent, who says he is now a consultant after working in Air Force intelligence, acknowledged that he met with Gaetz’s father, Don Gaetz, and asked for the money.


"At first he started laughing and he said, ‘You know we get these extortion attempts all the time,’" Kent recalled. "And I said whoa, stop. This is not an extortion attempt. I’m not trying to extort him, I’m not, you know, that’s not what we’re doing here." He said he then showed Don Gaetz video evidence that Levinson was alive, which interested him.

Kent insisted to Smerconish that there was no extortion involved.

"I never threatened the man — matter of fact, it was the opposite: I told him if he decides not to help us, he’ll never hear from me again," he claimed. "I said if you want to help us, keep everything legal and above-board, it’ll have to go through the law firm," he continued, referring to Levinson family attorney David McGee, with whom he had been working.

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