Senator Menendez was well aware of bribery case, says witness

During the senator’s trial, a witness testified that Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., appeared to have full knowledge of the investigation involving the alleged bribery by the senator and his wife to interfere, reports Politico.

Menendez is facing charges of bribery, obstruction of justice, acting as an unregistered foreign agent, and honest services wire fraud, as stated by NPR. Prosecutors allege that he received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including gold bars, in exchange for influencing matters for individuals from New Jersey, Egypt, and Qatar. 

Menendez is being tried alongside two individuals, Egyptian-American businessman Wael Hana and real estate developer Fred Daibes. The third individual, New Jersey insurance broker Jose Uribe, has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the prosecution.

Uribe, the witness, claimed that he bribed Menendez’s wife with a new Mercedes-Benz convertible in exchange for the senator’s help in interfering with a criminal investigation involving his business associates. He provided details of giving cash to Nadine Menendez for the car and mentioned a meeting at a North Jersey restaurant where Menendez seemed well-informed about the investigation he was accused of interfering with. Uribe also indicated that Menendez expressed willingness to investigate Uribe’s own company.