Senator Bob Menendez and his wife have been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, honest service fraud, and extortion
Prosecutors charged Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey with alleged corrupt foreign relations. According to an indictment that was made public yesterday, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is accused of using his foreign affairs influence for personal gain.
He and his wife, Nadine Menendez, allegedly took bribes from three New Jersey businessmen and accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gold bars, a luxury vehicle and even mortgage payments in exchange for his influence to benefit the Egyptian government.
Menendez denies any wrongdoing but has temporarily stepped down from his role as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee until the case is resolved.
The 69-year-old senator and his wife are charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, honest service fraud, and extortion.
Three New Jersey businessmen, identified as Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, are also implicated in the charges.
What did the federal prosecutors discover?
- Agents have seized 81.5 oz of gold bars, currently worth about $155,000.
- Over $480,000 in cash stuffed in envelopes.
- A Mercedes-Benz convertible, which is believed to be a bribe.
- Investigators also discovered a Google search by Menendez to find out the value of “a kilo of gold.”
Not the first
It is the second indictment in eight years for Menendez. Back in 2015, he was charged with fraud, bribery and conspiracy.
While he has vowed he will not resign from Congress, New Jersey's governor, Phil Murphy, has called for his immediate departure.
With this indictment, Menendez has become the first sitting senator to be indicted twice in separate cases.