More allegations have come to light against Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., as he had already been charged with four counts related to his alleged bribery scheme involving the government of Egypt. According to a second superseding indictment that was unsealed on Tuesday, Jan. 3, Menendez allegedly accepted expensive gifts, like wrist watches, to say positive things about Qatar.
Point phone camera here
Prosecutors allege that Menendez helped a New Jersey developer, Fred Daibes, broker a multimillion-dollar investment in a real estate project with a Qatar-based company that prosecutors said is tied to the royal family, according to the indictment. Daibes is listed as a co-defendant on the indictment.
“Menendez provided Daibes with these statements so that Daibes could share them with the Qatari Investor and a Qatari government official associated with the Qatari Investment Company,” the indictment said.
According to prosecutors, text messages between Daibes and Menendez about the scheme were discovered, along with messages and photos sent via encrypted app regarding expensive watches. Prosecutors allege that Daibes asked Menendez “how about one of those” referring to images of luxury watches ranging in price from $9,990 to $23,990.
Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his lawyers responded to the recent indictment by saying the new allegations “stink of desperation.”
Back in September, Menendez was indicted on bribery charges; prosecutors said he and his wife pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes that included cash, gold bars, payments toward a home mortgage, and luxury car payments, among others listed in the original indictment. Menendez has stepped down as Foreign Relations chair but remains on the committee; his trial is scheduled for May 2024.
FACING GROWING PRESSURE TO RESIGN —
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY CHARGED WITH ACTING AS A FOREIGN AGENT AND ACCEPTING BRIBES TO BENEFIT EGYPT IS NOW FACING ADDITIONAL ACCUSATIONS — THIS TIME INVOLVING THE COUNTRY OF QATAR.
ACCORDING TO A SECOND SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT THAT WAS UNSEALED TUESDAY, MENENDEZ ALLEGEDLY ACCEPTED EXPENSIVE GIFTS TO SAY POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT QATAR.
THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES MENENDEZ HELPED A NEW JERSEY DEVELOPER — WHO IS ALSO CHARGED IN THE CASE — BROKER A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR REAL ESTATE DEAL FROM A QATAR BASED COMPANY THAT IS SAID TO BE TIED TO THE ROYAL FAMILY.
BACK IN SEPTEMBER — MENENDEZ WAS INDICTED ON BRIBERY CHARGES –
PROSECUTORS SAY HE AND HIS WIFE POCKETED HUNDREDS-OF-THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN CASH, GOLD BARS, PAYMENTS TOWARD A HOME MORTGAGE, AND MORE.
MENENDEZ HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES AND HIS LAWYERS RESPONDED TO THE RECENT INDICTMENT SAYING THESE NEW ALLEGATIONS “STINK OF DESPERATION”.
HIS TRIAL IS SET FOR MAY.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
