US Senator Menendez hit with bribery charges over Egypt ties

[yota691]

US Senator Menendez hit with bribery charges over Egypt ties

By Luc Cohen

September 22, 202311:00 AM EDTUpdated an hour ago

 

 

[1/2]Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) questions Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Powell during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the CARES Act, at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, U.S., September 28, 2021. Kevin Dietsch/Pool via Acquire Licensing Rights Read more

NEW YORK, Sept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, and his wife have been charged with bribery offenses in connection with their relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, federal prosecutors said on Friday.

The U.S. 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 a senator to seek to protect and enrich the businessmen, and benefit the government of Egypt.

 

Prosecutors said the bribes included cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a job with minimal requirements, a luxury vehicle and other things of value.

Menendez, the chair of the influential U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and his wife Nadine Menendez, who has been married to the senator since 2020, face three criminal counts each.

The senator's office and a lawyer who has represented Nadine Menendez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Menendez has been an important ally to fellow Democrat President Joe Biden as he has sought to reassert U.S. influence on the world stage, something particularly crucial as Biden rallies support for congressional aid to Ukraine and Washington looks for ways to push back against a rising China.

Menendez and his four co-defendants are expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Sept. 27, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan said.

 

Menendez is up for re-election next year, and an investigation could complicate Democrats' effort to expand their slim 51-49 seat majority in the 100-member Senate.

Menendez and his wife 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.

Prosecutors are seeking to have Menendez forfeit assets including his New Jersey home, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz, and about $566,000 in cash, gold bars, and funds from a bank account.

 

The businessmen - Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes - were also charged in the scheme.

An attorney who has represented Daibes did not respond to a request for comment.

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 U.S. military aid. In exchange, Hana put Nadine Menendez on his company's payroll, prosecutors said.

Egypt at the time was one of the largest recipients of U.S. military aid, but the State Department had withheld $195 million in 2017 and canceled an additional $65.7 million until the country could demonstrate improvements on human rights and democracy.

Menendez at a meeting in 2018 told Hana non-public information about the status of the aid, prosecutors said. Hana then texted an Egyptian official, "The ban on small arms and ammunition to Egypt has been lifted," according to an indictment made public on Friday.

Prosecutors said Egypt’s government in 2019 granted one of Hana’s companies an exclusive license to export halal food from the United States to Egypt, despite lacking experience in halal certification. Hana used the proceeds from those exports to fund the bribe payments, according to the indictment.

After the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised concerns about Hana’s monopoly with Egyptian officials due to concerns over high costs to U.S. meat producers, Menendez asked a USDA official to let the company keep its status, prosecutors said.

The official did not comply with Menendez’s demands but the company nonetheless kept its monopoly, according to the indictment.

The Egyptian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Damian Williams, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, was set to address the charges at an 11 a.m. EDT (1356 GMT) press conference.

Menendez had previously been charged in New Jersey with accepting private flights, campaign contributions and other bribes from a wealthy patron in exchange for official favors, but a 2017 trial ended in a jury deadlock.

Prosecutors dropped their bribery case in 2018 and Menendez had maintained his innocence.

He was re-elected later that year to his third term in the Senate, which he first joined in 2006.

[yota691]

NJ Sen. Bob Menendez and wife indicted on federal bribery charges

LiveNOW from FOX

Sep 22, 2023
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez have been indicted on bribery offenses. A press conference is expected to be held at 11:00 am ET to announce the unsealing of the indictment charge.

[yota691]

BREAKING NEWS: Officials Announce Unsealing Of Indictment Into Senator Bob Menendez

Forbes Breaking News

2236  views  
Sep 22, 2023
Officials on Friday at the Southern District Of New York announced the unsealing of an indictment into Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) on Friday. 

 

[MyLadiesDaddy]

They're eating there own. 

[caddieman]

He should be going to jail soon. Hope they throw the book at him.

[CSM (R) Thack]

He’s been brought up in these types of charges before, believe his wife is in some hot water also!!👍🏻🇺🇸

[yota691]

Heated debate on the reporting of this story...between these 2 commentators 

BREAKING: Sen Menendez (D-NJ) INDICTED On Bribery AGAIN; Corruption At Its Most OBVIOUS?: Rising

The Hill
 

[md11fr8dawg]

All I can think about when I read this story is Eddie Murphy on SNL doing Mr. Robinson Neighborhood. He has a pictures of Senator Mendez on the  easel and he looks at the camera and he points at the picture and says,'Kiddies can you say scumbaG!!!" Can't get that imagine out of my head.

[MyLadiesDaddy]

I've figured out why the DOJ and the FBI are going after this looser. And why several Democrats are calling for the loosers resignation.

 

The overwhelming evidence against the puppet in charge and his crime family (Biden) of treason has become more than a little disturbing. And impossible to hide. 

So let's take down one of our own thus changing the narrative in the news. Sadly this is the crap that they ALL do. But Americans are like little sheep and always follow what they're told. 

If you ask me this country deserves what's about to happen. 

[bigwave]

8 minutes ago, MyLadiesDaddy said:

If you ask me this country deserves what's about to happen. 

Too bad that good honest people have to get "rolled" in the process...

[MyLadiesDaddy]

13 minutes ago, bigwave said:

Too bad that good honest people have to get "rolled" in the process...

If people were paying attention they would have prepared. Buying Silver and Gold, food and water. Those who did that will not only survive they will profit amazingly. Those who are so caught up in their entertainment and lackadaisical lifestyle will suffer. Good or not doesn't matter. 

 

Humanity has forgotten the fact that we are animals. And animals always keep one eye on their surroundings. Looking for threats. Those poor fools that don't watch their surroundings become dinner for the predators. 

[bigwave]

48 minutes ago, MyLadiesDaddy said:

Those who did that will not only survive they will profit amazingly.

Great point.

[gregp]

Hilarious was running money through Egypt also. Seems to be a thing. 

[Hotcurl]

Menendez and wife look and smell like corruption "Iraqi style" ......................

 

Just sayin' ...........................

[umbertino]

 

 

Egypt is ruled by one of the worst ever individuals....Dictator Al-Sisi.....Murdered a lot of people and jailed thousands.....Sad