(NewsSpace.com) – In June 2022, the FBI raided the home of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez (D). During their search, agents found an overwhelming amount of cash and gold bars in the home, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. He was subsequently indicted on a number of charges, including acting as a foreign agent, bribery, and extortion. A jury recently found him guilty of all counts.
On Tuesday, July 16, after three days of deliberation, the jury returned its verdicts in the bribery case. Menendez stood stoic as the panel read out each of the counts and guilty verdicts, and his attorney, Avi Wetzman, patted him on the back. Following the results, Menendez spoke with reporters outside the courthouse, where he revealed that he was “deeply, deeply disappointed” in the outcome. He vowed to appeal.
The charges stemmed from his accepting bribes from businessmen and the governments of Qatar and Egypt to create favorable conditions for them to do business. One of the bribes involved a luxury vehicle gifted to the senator’s wife, Nadine. US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damien Williams, said Menendez engaged in “politics for profit.”
Now, Menendez is facing calls to resign. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) originally condemned his actions and expressed disappointment when the indictment came down, but has now, in light of the conviction, asked Menendez to resign. It’s not clear if he will.
Two of the three co-defendants in the case, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, were also found guilty of seven and six charges, respectively. The third, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty and testified against Menendez in his trial. The senator is facing upwards of 200 years in prison and will be sentenced on October 29.
Nadine Menendez’s trial was recently indefinitely delayed. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago and has been undergoing treatment. She is facing many of the same charges as her husband.
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