In August federal prosecutors accused Stephen Alford of trying to defraud US Rep. Matt Gaetz’s father Don Gaetz out of $25 million. And last week Stephen Alford, 62, pleaded guilty in an attempt to extort $25 million from Matt Gaetz’s father. According to The Washington Examiner, the announcement by the Justice Department marks a turnaround as Alford initially entered a not guilty plea. A charge of tampering with evidence was tossed, according to Northwest Florida Daily News .