The Bahamas trip is a central element of a federal investigation surrounding Gaetz that has suddenly endangered his political career.
Investigators are looking at whether Gaetz and his associates tried to secure government jobs for some of the women, the people said.
Pressure on the congressman could build in the coming weeks as Joel Greenberg, a Gaetz associate who has been accused of trafficking a minor for sex, faces a May 15 deadline to strike a plea deal with prosecutors.
Gaetz’s interest in medical marijuana dates back nearly a decade, when he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives.
In February 2014, Gaetz co-sponsored the first state effort to allow marijuana for medical use.
Gaetz cast his proposal as a pared-down alternative to a statewide ballot measure that would have broadly legalized medical marijuana.
Beshears was a fellow Republican member of the Legislature who joined Gaetz to support the legislation.
The legislation was written to specify — and restrict — who could win such a license.
The Tampa Bay Times reported in 2014 that Beshears had failed to file a conflict of interest report when he voted on the bill, and the lawmaker who sponsored the amendment wanted to “err on the side of limiting who could qualify now” when embarking on such a new industry.
Eight days later, Pirozzolo started a consulting firm connecting marijuana businesses with medical directors, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
With recommendations from Gaetz and Beshears in 2018, Pirozzolo was appointed by the current governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, to serve on a board that runs Orlando International Airport.
Balsamo reported from Washington.