Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat, has arrived for the start of his trial on charges of accepting bribes of gold and cash to use his influence in favor of three New Jersey businessmen. The trial, scheduled to begin on Monday, involved Menendez, as well as two businessmen, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, who have pleaded not guilty. Another businessman has pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against the defendants. Menendez’s wife is also charged, but her trial has been postponed.
Menendez, aged 70, arrived at a Manhattan federal courthouse early in the morning, accompanied by his lawyers and did not address reporters. The trial is expected to have a significant impact on Menendez’s political career, with him already announcing that he will not seek reelection as a Democrat this fall. This trial is the second corruption trial for Menendez in the last decade, with the previous trial ending in a hung jury in 2017.
Prosecutors allege that Menendez’s actions on behalf of the businessmen benefited the governments of Egypt and Qatar and accused him of acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Menendez has denied these allegations and maintained his innocence. The indictment also includes charges of bribery, extortion, fraud, and obstruction of justice against Menendez.
Among the evidence presented against Menendez are gold bars and large sums of cash found in a raid on his New Jersey home. The indictment alleges that Menendez’s wife, Nadine Menendez, played a role in facilitating the bribes between the businessmen and Menendez. Her trial has been postponed for health reasons.
The trial is expected to shed light on the alleged corrupt dealings between Menendez and the businessmen, with prosecutors claiming that the bribes influenced the senator’s actions in favor of certain business deals. Menendez’s legal team plans to defend him by arguing that he was unaware of some of the activities conducted by his wife. Businessman Jose Uribe has already pleaded guilty to buying Menendez’s wife a luxury car in exchange for the senator’s help in criminal investigations.
