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US Senator Bob Menendez and wife charged with bribery
Courtesy of senatormenendez/Instagram
New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife were indicted in New York on Friday on federal bribery charges.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, are charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right.
According to the documents, the couple allegedly accepted “hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes,” gold bars, mortgage payments, and more, in a “corrupt relationship” with three businessmen from New Jersey, according to the unsealed indictment.
The indictment accuses Menendez of providing sensitive U.S. Government information and secretly aiding the government of Egypt.
It also alleges that he pressured a U.S. Agriculture Department official to protect a business monopoly in Egypt for one of the businessmen and used his office to obstruct an investigation in New Jersey involving another businessman.
Menendez is also accused of recommending a U.S. Attorney for New Jersey whom he believed could be influenced to disrupt the prosecution of the third businessman.
Federal agents conducted a raid on the couple’s home and a safe deposit box in June 2022 and found cash, gold, a luxury vehicle, and more believed to be linked to their alleged bribery agreement.
Menendez has denied the allegations and stated on Friday he would continue to carry out his responsibilities as senator.
“I remain focused on continuing this important work and will not be distracted by baseless allegations,” Menendez said.
Nadine’s attorney, David Schertler, asserted in a statement, “Ms. Menendez refutes any allegations of wrongdoing and is committed to mounting a robust defense in court.”
This is not the first time Menendez has faced federal bribery charges. He was previously indicted in 2015 on 14 criminal counts related to gifts and campaign donations from a Florida ophthalmologist, Salomon Melgen. However, the prosecution was dropped after a hung jury in his trial.
Menendez and his wife are expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday, September 27.
TMX contributed to this article.
