Senator Menendez Convicted on All 16 Counts in Federal Corruption Trial – One America News Network
OAN Staff Abril Elfi
10:40 AM – Tuesday, July 16, 2024
A judge has found Senator Bob Menendez guilty of conspiracy of bribery, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent.
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On Tuesday, Menendez (D-N.J.) was found guilty in a Manhattan, New York courtroom of all 16 charges, which include:
- 3 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery
- 4 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud
- 4 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Extortion
- 3 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Obstruction of Justice
- 2 counts of Conspiracy For a Public Official to Act as a Foreign Agent
There is pressure for Menendez to step down before his term ends at the end of the year, as he becomes just the seventh sitting U.S. senator to be found guilty of a federal crime following the verdict of a jury that consisted of 12 New Yorkers.
The indictment had stated that in August of 2021, Menendez sent a press release in which he praised the Qatari government, sending the text message: “You might want to send it to them. I am just about to release.”
The following month, his accomplice Fred Daibes texted Menendez pictures of expensive watches that reportedly cost up to $23,990, after he had attended a private event in Manhattan hosted by the Qatari government.
Two days later, Menendez texted Daibes with a website link that tracked a resolution in the Senate that supported Qatar.
According to the indictment, in January of 2022, the senator messaged the Qatari investor ahead of his meeting with Diabes to discuss potential investments, saying: “I understand my friend is going to visit with you on the 15th of the month. I hope that this will result in the favorable and mutually beneficial agreement that you have been both engaged in discussing.”
In May, the Qatari official then provided four tickets to the 2022 Formula One Grand Prix to a close relative of Nadine Menendez at the senator’s request.
The Qatari investment fund signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture with Daibes’ company that same month, after a meeting between the senator, Daibes, and the two Qatari officials. After that, the indictment stated that Daibes “gave Menendez a gold bar.”
The Qatari Investment Company officially joined Daibes last year by investing tens of millions of dollars.
The senator was found guilty of failing to disclose on his financial disclosure forms the gifts, gold bars, and race tickets that he received from Qatar and Daibes.
Menendez is set to be sentenced on October 29th.
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