Ny (AP) - You.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of brand new Jersey and his wife were indicted Saturday into the charges which they took bribes of cash, gold bars and you may a deluxe vehicle for a selection of corrupt serves, together with obtaining the Democrat fool around with their dictate more than overseas affairs in order to benefit this new authoritarian authorities out-of Egypt.
The fresh capturing indictment alleges you to Menendez, chairman of the Senate Overseas Affairs Panel, provided sensitive and painful and you can non-societal U.S. bodies suggestions so you're able to Egyptian authorities officials and you may took most other measures so you're able to privately assist Egypt, plus ghost-creating a page for Egypt moving most other senators in order to elevator a hold on $300 million during the help on the nation. Government along with allege the brand new senator looked for to derail a violent studies to your a part by the driving to have an effective U.S. lawyer nominee he sensed would be swayed.
A quest of couple's house arrived $100,000 from inside the silver bars and $480,000 inside invisible dollars, said prosecutors, exactly who established this new charge up against the 69-year-old Democrat nearly half a dozen age immediately following a young violent situation facing him finished that have a good deadlocked jury.
The new indictment is unrelated to the earlier costs one to alleged Menendez accepted magnificent presents so you're able to stress government officials for a fl doc.
Menendez told you he was wrongly accused away from recognizing bribes however, “will not be distracted” out-of work in the fresh Senate. In the a keen emailed report, he accused prosecutors of misrepresenting “the typical really works away from a great Congressional office” and you can composing “such charge as they wished.”
“For many years, forces behind the scenes possess several times attempted to quiet my sound and you may search my personal political grave,” Menendez told you. “Because study was released almost just last year, there have been an energetic smear strategy out-of private sources and you can innuendos which will make an environment from impropriety in which nothing is obtainable.”
David Schertler, an attorney having Menendez's wife, Nadine, said she “rejects one criminal run and certainly will vigorously tournament such charges in legal.”
The newest Senate Historic Workplace states Menendez seems to be the first resting senator from inside the U.S. record to own already been indicted to the a few not related criminal accusations. Menendez faces reelection the coming year during the a bid to extend his three-several years field when you look at the Arizona as Democrats hold a slim vast majority inside the brand new Senate.
When you look at the , immediately following meeting with an enthusiastic Egyptian official, bodies allege, Menendez along with sГtio principal lobbied after that-Secretary out of Condition Mike Pompeo to increase Western engagement inside the stalled negotiations of Egypt, Ethiopia and you can Sudan to construct a great dam over the Nile River, an option foreign coverage matter to have Egypt.
Prosecutors allege Menendez and his partner acknowledged hundreds of thousands of bucks within the bribes of around three providers associates, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and you can Fred Daibes. The guy and utilized their dictate to pressure new chairman to help you nominate good U.S. lawyer for brand new Jersey that would protect Daibes, a long time buddy and you can common Nj-new jersey creator who experienced violent prosecution, it told you.
This photos, which had been included in a keen indictment off U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), suggests a sweater results Menendez's label, as well as cash away from envelops receive in Coat during the an excellent lookup because of the government representatives of your senator's domestic inside the Harrison, N.J., in 2022. (You.S. Attorney's Place of work thru AP)
After Menendez named a national formal throughout the Daibes' situation, according to the indictment, their partner got an effective Mercedes-Benz modifiable by the Uribe and Hana, each other relatives of the senator along with his partner. The brand new indictment states that whenever the purchase are done, Nadine Menendez texted their unique spouse to say: “Congratulations mon amour de- los angeles compete, our company is new happy owners of a good 2019 Mercedes,” having a center emoji.
