Politics
Sen. Bob Menendez indicted over gifts of gold bars, car, apartment
A federal grand jury in New York has returned an indictment against United States Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chairman of the powerful Foreign Relations Committee.
The investigation focused on a luxury car, gold bars and an apartment allegedly received by Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian. His wife was also indicted.
The indictment charges Menendez, 69, and his wife with having a corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen -- Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daides.
MORE: Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez under federal investigation: Sources
The indictment accuses Menendez and his wife of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for using the senator's power and iNFLuence to seek to protect and enrich the Businessman.
"Those bribes included cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle, and other things of value," the indictment said.
In June 2022, federal agents searched Menendez's New Jersey home and found "fruits" of the pair's "corrupt bribery agreement" with the three businessmen, according to the indictment. Investigators found over $480,000 in cash, some stuffed in envelopes and hidden in clothing, as well as $70,000 in Nadine Menendez's safe deposit box.
Also found in the home were over $100,000 worth of gold bars, "provided by either Hana or Daibes," according to the indictment.
Menendez allegedly gave sensitive U.S. government information "that secretly aided the Government of Egypt" and "improperly advised and pressured" a U.S. agricultural official to protect an exclusive contract for Hana to be the exclusive purveyor of halal meat to Egypt, according to the indictment.
Menendez also tried to disrupt a criminal investigation into a second Businessman in the trucking industry that had been undertaken by the New Jersey attorney general, the indictment said.
MORE: Judge to hear arguments for summary judgment in New York AG's $250M lawsuit against Trump
The senator is also accused of recommending someone to the president to be the U.S. attorney in New Jersey who he thought he could influence.
This is the second time New Jersey's senior senator has been charged with corruption. A 2015 indictment ended in a mistrial in 2018 after a jury failed to reach a verdict on all counts and a judge acquitted him on some charges.
The previous charges against Menendez centered on his relationship with Florida eye doctor Solomon Melgen, a close ally of the senator. Menendez allegedly accepted gifts from Melgen in exchange for using the power of his senate office to benefit the doctor's financial and personal interests.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
-
Politics23m ago
Exclusive: Donald Trump Says Political Violence ‘Depends’ on ‘Fairness’ of 2024 Election
-
Politics23m ago
Exclusive: Trump Says ‘Anti-White Feeling’ Is a Problem in the U.S.
-
Politics2h ago
Third parties will affect the 2024 campaigns, but election laws written by Democrats and Republicans will prevent them from winning
-
Politics2h ago
Joe Biden Presses Pause On Menthol Cigarette Ban, NAACP Swiftly Condemns White House
-
Politics6h ago
Exclusive: Trump Hits Netanyahu on Oct. 7; Says Other Israeli Leaders ‘Could Do a Good Job’
-
Politics6h ago
Biden’s Overlooked Advantage
-
Politics8h ago
How famines are formed: In Gaza and elsewhere, an underlying pattern that can lead to hunger and death
-
Politics8h ago
International prosecution of Israeli or Hamas leaders wouldn’t bring quick justice − and even bringing them to court will be difficult