Ny (AP) – You.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of brand new Jersey and his wife were indicted Friday into costs which they got bribes of cash, silver bars and you can a luxurious vehicles to own a range of corrupt serves, in addition to getting the Democrat use his determine over overseas activities to help you work for the new authoritarian bodies of Egypt.
Evaluate the sponsors
The fresh capturing indictment alleges you to definitely Menendez, chairman of one’s Senate Overseas Relations Panel, given sensitive and you can non-personal U.S. authorities guidance so you’re able to Egyptian bodies authorities and you will got almost every other methods to help you privately assist Egypt, as well as ghost-writing a letter on behalf of Egypt driving almost every other senators so you’re able to lift a hold on tight $3 hundred billion from inside the services with the country. Authorities including claim the latest senator wanted so you’re able to derail a violent study toward a member of the driving to possess a good You.S. attorneys nominee the guy experienced would-be influenced.
A quest of the couple’s household turned up $100,000 within the gold bars and you will $480,000 inside the hidden bucks, told you prosecutors, whom launched the newest fees resistant to the 69-year-dated Democrat nearly six many years once a young violent circumstances up against him finished that have a good deadlocked jury.
Brand new indictment are not related toward before charges one alleged Menendez recognized lavish gift suggestions to help you tension authorities officials on the part of a florida doc.
Menendez said he was wrongly implicated out of acknowledging bribes however, “won’t be distracted” out of operate in the new Senate. In a keen emailed statement, he implicated prosecutors away from misrepresenting “the typical functions from good Congressional office” and you will creating “such charges while they desired.”
“For many years, forces behind the scenes has actually many times tried to quiet my voice and you may search my governmental grave,” Menendez told you. “Because studies is actually leaked almost this past year, there have been a dynamic smear strategy regarding private supply and you can innuendos to help make an environment out-of impropriety in which not one is available.”
Compliment of our sponsors:
David Schertler, legal counsel to have Menendez’s spouse, Nadine, told you she “rejects people criminal run and certainly will vigorously event such charges for the courtroom.”
This new Senate Historical Office says Menendez is apparently the initial seated senator in the U.S. records to own started indicted into the one or two not related unlawful accusations. Menendez face reelection the following year within the a bid to extend his three-years community inside Arizona as Democrats hold a thin most in brand new Senate.
In , immediately after interviewing a keen Egyptian certified, authorities claim, Menendez and lobbied next-Assistant from County Mike Pompeo to increase American engagement within the stalled deals involving Egypt, Ethiopia and you will Sudan to create an excellent dam along the Nile Lake, an option international policy thing to own Egypt.
Prosecutors claim Menendez and his awesome spouse accepted thousands of cash into the bribes of three organization couples, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and you may Fred Daibes. The guy as well as used his dictate so you can tension the latest PanamГЎ mulheres chairman in order to nominate a good U.S. lawyer for brand new Jersey who include Daibes, a long time pal and you may preferred Nj-new jersey developer whom experienced violent prosecution, it told you.
That it photos, that has been used in a keen indictment out-of You.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Letter.J.), shows a jacket affect Menendez’s label, in addition to cash regarding envelops discovered inside the Jacket while in the good browse because of the federal representatives of senator’s house inside Harrison, Letter.J., in 2022. (You.S. Attorney’s Place of work through AP)
Immediately following Menendez titled a government formal on the Daibes’ instance, according to indictment, their partner was given a good Mercedes-Benz modifiable from the Uribe and you will Hana, each other household members of your senator and his awesome spouse. The brand new indictment says that whenever the purchase was over, Nadine Menendez texted their unique husband to express: “Done well mon amour de- la contend, we’re new pleased owners of an effective 2019 Mercedes,” that have a center emoji.