It could be the beginning of a mafia movie: during a house search, the police seize cash worth $500,000 – hidden in clothes, cupboards and in the safe. Gold bars worth more than $100,000 glittered next to the stacks of cash and an expensive Mercedes-Benz gleamed in the garage.
But it is the beginning of an American political scandal. Because the property is not owned by a mafia boss, but by an influential political figure: US Senator Bob Menendez. The 69-year-old has been in the Senate for seventeen years. Now he has been impeached for a second time and has temporarily resigned as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The indictment reads like a crime novel. It involves bribes, dubious business partners and arms sales to Egypt.
But first things first.
The accusations
A federal prosecutor in New York accuses Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, of taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen. In return, the senator gave businessmen economic benefits.
The companies also maintain good relations with the Egyptian secret service. According to the indictment, Menendez allegedly secured the release of $300 million in aid to Cairo and the sale of military equipment to Egypt.
The blocked aid funds and arms sales ban were imposed by the Trump administration in 2017 due to numerous human rights violations.
The day after a 2021 trip to Egypt, the indictment says, the Democrat researched online: “How much is a kilo of gold worth?”
Excerpts from the indictment
The senator’s wife acted as an intermediary. The detailed indictment includes numerous quotes from deleted text messages between Menendez, his wife and the businessmen. The influential politician’s wife reportedly boasted that she had made an American-Egyptian entrepreneur “more powerful than the president of Egypt.” Her husband helped the businessman obtain a monopoly from the Egyptian government on the certification of halal meat imports from the US.
Nadine Menendez, on the other hand, is said to have arranged the money transfers. She was extremely grateful to the business people. «You are a miracle worker who makes dreams come true. “I’ll always remember that,” she wrote to a businessman after he allegedly handed her $15,000 in cash in a parking lot. Another time she typed the following lines into her smartphone: “I’m so excited to get a car next week!”
In June 2022, the police searched the couple’s home. Some cash envelopes contained the businessmen’s fingerprints. According to the indictment, the alleged corruption scheme dates back to 2018. The arraignment took place on Friday.
Menendez senses a political campaign
In true Trump style, the Democrat sees himself as the victim of a smear campaign and denies the accusations. The facts are not as they were presented, the politician said. However, when it comes to bribery allegations, Menendez is no stranger. In 2015, he was accused of taking private jet flights, luxury vacations and receiving more than $750,000 in illegal campaign donations. For three years the jury could not agree on a verdict. The procedure was therefore stopped.
About the latest accusations, the politician says: “For years, forces behind the scenes have been trying to silence my voice and dig my political grave.”
The first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday in Manhattan.
NEW: @Senator Menendez will make his first court appearance in Manhattan on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m @SDNYnews says spokesperson.
The senator’s wife, Nadine, and businessmen Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana are also expected to appear. @Nieuws12NJ
— Alex Zdan (@ActualAlexZ) September 22, 2023
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
