Bob Menendez, already the subject of sensational charges concerning the acceptance of illicit cash, gold bars and a Mercedes Benz car, faces new corruption allegations, outlined in a superseding indictment made public on Tuesday.
The New Jersey Democratic senator has already pleaded not guilty on charges involving interests linked to Egypt. He is now accused of corruption involving Qatar, although he does not face new charges.
Prosecutors have previously described how in 2022, when Menendez’s home was raided, federal agents found a haul including almost $500,000 in cash, 13 gold bars and a Mercedez-Benz convertible.
According to the new indictment, Menendez’s work for Qatari interests produced more gifts of cash and gold as well as offers of gifts including tickets to motor racing events and luxury wristwatches.
The superseding indictment in Manhattan federal court did not identify a member of the Qatari royal family involved in the case, but said the individual was a principal of the Qatari Investment Co.
According to the indictment, Menendez sought to induce the Qatari Investment Co to invest with Fred Daibes, a businessman, including by taking actions favorable to the government of Qatar.
The indictment said the unnamed Qatari investor considered and negotiated a multimillion-dollar investment in a real estate project planned by Daibes.
While the Qatari Investment Co was considering its investment, the indictment said, Menendez made multiple public statements supporting the government of Qatar and provided them to Daibes so he could share them with the investor and a Qatari government official.
Daibes is now one of three businessmen charged in the indictment along with the senator and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez. All have pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, Menendez, his spokesperson and his lawyers did not immediately comment. Contacted by the Associated Press, Tim Donohue, a lawyer for Daibes, said he had no immediate comment.
The allegations involving Qatar occurred from 2021 through 2023, the indictment said.
Last year, in charges that prompted his resignation as chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, Menendez was accused of acting as an unregistered agent for a foreign government, in relation to Egypt.
Denying wrongdoing, Menendez has refused to step down or commit to not running for re-election this year.
Menendez has beaten a corruption investigation before, after a jury deadlocked in 2017, in a case involving links between the senator and a Florida eye doctor.
Menendez’s next trial is set to begin in May. Last week, Judge Sidney H Stein refused to delay the trial, after defense lawyers requested more time to prepare for a trial they said already included over 6.7m documents.
Also last month, Menendez found himself linked to another controversial Washington figure, the former Republican congressman George Santos, who became only the sixth House member ever expelled after a damning ethics committee report.
John Fetterman, a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, paid Santos to record a supportive message for Menendez via the Cameo app.
“Hey Bobby!” Santos said. “I don’t think I need to tell you, but these people who want to make you get in trouble and want to kick you out and make you run away, you make them put up or shut up. You stand your ground, sir, and don’t get bogged down by all the haters out there.”
Menendez told NBC News he did not think Fetterman’s donors “would appreciate him enriching George Santos”.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
Source: US Politics - theguardian.com
