impropriety

Towards the end of his political career, a series of embarrassments - including an affair and allegations of ministerial impropriety - threatened to tarnish his salt-of-the-earth image.

But Gaetz also has been dogged by allegations of impropriety in recent years.

On Monday, Bishop Brennan said a larger review under the investigation detected other instances of administrative impropriety, including Mr Gigantiello using a credit card for personal expenses.

In 2023, a separate corruption probe into the real estate dealings of two other ministers eventually cleared them of impropriety, while the speaker of Parliament resigned because of an extramarital affair with another lawmaker.

His wife, Jane, said Mr Cole did not want to say anything, adding that they knew nothing about the allegations of sexual impropriety against Al Fayed.