Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has been charged with bribery in an indictment unsealed by the Southern District of New York on Friday. The allegations encompass Menendez, his wife, Nadine Menendez, and three prominent New Jersey businessmen. The 69-year-old Senator and his spouse, Nadine Menendez, stand accused of accepting hefty bribes over several years. Astonishingly, these allegations aren’t a first for Menendez. This marks the second time he has faced similar charges.
This is wild: Democratic Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez), who was indicted today, seems to be really living large: Over $480,000 in cash, stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe, while over $70,000 was found in Nadine Menendez’s safe deposit… pic.twitter.com/acUFOgUdPe
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) September 22, 2023
Officials unveiled on Friday that Menendez’s alleged illicit gains include $400,000 in gold bars, significant amounts of cash, and favors from American businessmen and Egypt. The claims that Menendez leveraged his position to shield and assist three New Jersey businessmen – Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes.
The $400,000 worth of gold bars are purportedly a trade-off for Menendez’s intervention with the Justice Department on behalf of Daibes, an individual previously accused of banking infractions.
The document further claims that, from 2018 to 2022, the Senator extended considerable military assistance to Egypt grants exceeding $1 billion.. This reportedly involved the transfer of sensitive US government intel to Egyptian-American entrepreneur Wael Hana to support his businesses in that country. In return, Hana is believed to have shared profits from his foreign ventures with Menendez.
As of now, Menendez’s office remains silent, offering no comment on the latest charges.
On Wednesday morning, the accused, including Menendez, his wife, and the three businessmen, are slated to make their preliminary court appearance in Manhattan, as per the US Attorney’s Office spokesperson.
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