by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News September 22, 2023
New Jersey Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez was indicted in federal court on Friday on bribery charges in connection to his alleged corrupt relationship with three businessmen from New Jersey.
The Department of Justice’s unsealed indictment included images of gold bars and cash in Menendez’s possession.
Menendez, who has served as a senator from the Garden State since 2006, will be up for re-election in 2024.
Menendez, who chairs the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his wife Nadine Menendez are accused of engaging in a corrupt scheme alongside Fred Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer, Wael Hana, who runs a halal meat certification business in the state, and businessman Jose Uribe.
“Robert Menendez allegedly agreed to use his official position to benefit Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, and the government of Egypt in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes to Menendez and his wife Nadine Menendez, which included gold bars, cash, and a luxury convertible,” the Department of Justice said in a press release announcing the indictment.
The indictment included sprawling allegations against the senior Democrat senator involving a scheme to aid the Egyptian government, gold bars, money stuffed in envelopes and illicit halal certifications.
The indictment further revealed that federal agents conducted a search of Menendez’s home in June of last year, where they discovered hidden cash and gold bars.
Agents raided Menendez’s residence and a safe deposit box belonging to Nadine Menendez. They found more than $480,000 in cash which was largely stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe. They also discovered more than $70,000 in the senator’s wife’s safe deposit box.
In a statement following the indictment, Menendez denied any wrongdoing and said forces “behind the scenes” are working to silence him and dig his “political grave.” He added his behavior laid out in the indictment was all well within the realm of his office’s authority.
“Since this investigation was leaked nearly a year ago there has been an active smear campaign of anonymous sources and innuendoes to create an air of impropriety where none exists,” he said.
With the indictment on Friday, Menendez is facing corruption charges for the second time in his Senate career. He first was indicted in 2015 and that case ended in a mistrial three years later, when the jury failed to reach a verdict.
Hello! . . . . Intelligence . . . . Publish
Menendez indictment: Gold bars, cash found in New Jersey Democrat’s possession added by Editor Two on
View all posts by Editor Two →