US Senator Menendez Hit with Bribery Charges over Egypt Ties

By Staff, Agencies

US prosecutors on Friday charged Senator Robert Menendez and his wife with bribery over their relationship with businessmen and ties with Egypt’s government.

The US Attorney’s office in Manhattan accused the defendants of accepting thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for using Menendez's power and influence as New Jersey's senior senator to seek to protect and enrich the businessmen and benefit the government of Egypt.

Menendez, the chair of the influential US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has been an important ally to fellow Democrat, US President Joe Biden.

The indictment contained an image of gold bars that investigators seized from Menendez's home, as well as over $480,000 in cash. In addition to cash and gold, prosecutors said bribes also included payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a job with minimal requirements, and a luxury vehicle.

This marks the third time Menendez has been investigated by federal prosecutors, but he has never been convicted.

Menendez and his wife Nadine, who has been married to the senator since 2020, face three criminal counts each: conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. The senator and his four co-defendants – Nadine and the businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes – are expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on September 27.

Prosecutors said Hana, who is originally from Egypt, arranged dinners and meetings between Menendez and Egyptian officials in 2018 at which the officials pressed Menendez on the status of US military aid. Egypt at the time was one of the largest recipients of US military aid.