Recent claims circulating in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel media allege that Israel blackmailed former Congressman Matt Gaetz and extorted his family. The allegation was most recently raised by Gaetz himself during a December 23, 2025 interview with Tucker Carlson. The factual record, however, tells a very different story.
The Allegation Against Israel
Gaetz asserted that Israel was involved in a 2021 extortion scheme targeting his father, Don Gaetz, describing it as an intelligence-style “op” meant to silence him. He named Jake Novak as the alleged Israeli official connected to the affair. The claim quickly spread online, feeding long-standing conspiracy theories about Israeli interference in U.S. politics.
What Actually Happened
Matt Gaetz served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida between 2016 and 2024. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into whether he violated federal sex-trafficking laws. Gaetz denied the allegations, and prosecutors ultimately declined to bring charges.
Separately, in 2021, Gaetz disclosed that his father had been targeted in a $25 million extortion scheme. The perpetrators claimed they could make the DOJ investigation into Gaetz “go away” in exchange for money, allegedly tying the scheme to efforts to free an American hostage in Iran. Federal authorities investigated the plot, and Florida developer Stephen Alford was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for his role.
At no point during the DOJ investigation or the extortion case did Matt Gaetz or his father accuse Israel of involvement.
The Jake Novak Claim Falls Apart
Jake Novak, whom Gaetz later identified as an “Israeli official,” was at the time employed as a broadcast media director at the Israeli consulate. He did not hold a diplomatic, intelligence, or policymaking role for the Israeli government. According to reporting cited by Gaetz himself, Novak’s only connection to the affair was a personal friendship with Bob Kent, a peripheral figure who was never charged.
Novak acknowledged that he was aware of the allegations against Gaetz and that he discussed them with Dilbert creator Scott Adams. He has consistently denied any involvement in the extortion scheme, and no charges were ever brought against him. Israeli officials stated in 2021 that any connection Novak had to the episode was personal, not governmental, and instructed him to sever any involvement.
Gaetz’s Own Actions Undercut His Claim
In September 2021, while the matter was still fresh, Gaetz sent a letter to Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United States. In that letter, Gaetz described himself as “a friend to Israel,” emphasized his support for the U.S.–Israel relationship, and requested a meeting to discuss Novak’s communications regarding him and his family. The letter did not accuse Israel of blackmail, extortion, or wrongdoing.
Until his 2025 interview with Tucker Carlson, Gaetz did not allege Israeli involvement at all. Instead, he publicly suggested that elements within the U.S. government were responsible for the extortion attempt.
What Reporters and Court Records Show
Journalist Emma-Jo Morris, who covered the case extensively and interviewed Gaetz, later stated that Israel “never came up once” during her reporting. Israel is not mentioned anywhere in the criminal indictment, court filings, or sentencing documents related to the extortion case.
In short, the allegation that Israel played a role surfaced only years after the investigation was concluded, after convictions were secured, and after all relevant court records were finalized.
The Bottom Line
There is no evidence that Israel blackmailed Matt Gaetz or extorted his family. The claim was not raised during the investigation, does not appear in court records, and was not alleged by Gaetz or his father at the time. It emerged only years later, in a media environment increasingly hostile to Israel, particularly among commentators and audiences receptive to conspiracy narratives.
The facts remain clear: the extortion scheme was investigated by U.S. authorities, prosecuted in U.S. courts, and had no demonstrated connection to the Israeli government.
