Senator Bob Menendez (D., N.J.) faced a fourth indictment on Tuesday, comprising over a dozen new charges linked to his involvement in a long-standing bribery scheme with Egypt and Qatar.
In total, Menendez and his fellow defendants faced 18 charges related to conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Among those charged were Menendez’s wife, Nadine, along with two New Jersey businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, as outlined in the new 68-page superseding indictment.
Previously, Menendez confronted four counts, including conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, extortion under color of official right, and acting as a foreign agent. The latest charges encompassed these accusations.
The updated indictment followed Jose Uribe’s recent guilty plea and pledge to cooperate in the foreign bribery probe involving the senator, adding weight to the case.
According to the new court filing, funds provided to Nadine Menendez, including cash exchanges in parking lots, were deemed bribes, not loans, as initially suggested.
Since the Department of Justice unveiled the initial indictment in September, Menendez consistently asserted his innocence and pleaded not guilty to the corruption charges. Allegations included the receipt of significant gifts, such as gold bars and cash, in exchange for leveraging his political influence to benefit Egypt and enrich local businessmen.
The initial indictment detailed Menendez and Nadine Menendez’s alleged acceptance of substantial bribes to advocate for the interests of specific individuals and entities, including the Government of Egypt, through the Senator’s official capacity.
Subsequent indictments in October and January accused Menendez of acting as a foreign agent for Egypt and abusing his Senate Foreign Relations Committee position to favor Qatar. In return, he purportedly received bribes, including cash, gold bars, and tickets to prestigious events.
