New York jury finds Senator Bob Menendez guilty on federal corruption charges

(MENAFN) A federal jury in New York found Senator Bob Menendez guilty on Tuesday of accepting bribes and acting as an unregistered foreign agent, following a nine-week trial. The jury deliberated for three days before convicting Menendez on all 16 counts against him.

Prosecutors alleged that Menendez, 70, received bribes from New Jersey businessmen Fred Daibes, Wael Hana, and Jose Uribe. These bribes included gold bars, cash exceeding USD480,000, mortgage payments, and a luxury car. In exchange, he reportedly provided favors such as shielding individuals from prosecution and leveraging his office to benefit the Egyptian and Qatari governments.

Menendez's wife, Nadine Arslanian, has also been charged in a separate case, but her trial has been postponed due to her recovery from breast cancer surgery. Both Menendez and Arslanian have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following the verdict, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Menendez to resign, stating, "In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country." Cory Booker, New Jersey's junior senator, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for Menendez to step down to restore public trust.

Hana, one of the businessmen involved, owns a startup that secured a contract with the Egyptian government to manage halal inspections for US exports, despite lacking prior experience in the field.

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