US Markets
Monday, October 2nd, 2023 8:17 pm EDT
Key Points
- The trial of Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife Nadine on bribery and corruption charges is set to start on May 6, 2024, as scheduled by a federal judge.
- The couple faces allegations of accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes.”
- Senator Menendez maintains his innocence and has declined calls from over half of the Democratic Senate caucus to resign despite the accusations against him.
Senator Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine are scheduled to face trial on bribery and corruption charges on May 6, 2024. The charges allege that the couple accepted “hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes” from three New Jersey business associates in exchange for official actions taken by Menendez. These bribes reportedly included cash, gold, mortgage payments, compensation for a low- or no-show job for Nadine, a luxury vehicle, and other valuable items.
The trial will take place in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, where both Menendez and his wife, along with the three businessmen, will face three counts each: conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. The three other defendants face charges related to the first two counts.
Menendez maintains his innocence and has rejected calls from more than half of the Democratic Senate caucus to resign. He accuses prosecutors of distorting the normal work of a congressional office and claims that the allegations are an attack on his wife for her longstanding friendships.
The indictment alleges that Menendez, while serving as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, used his position to benefit the three business associates and provided sensitive U.S. government information that aided the government of Egypt in exchange for bribes.
In June 2022, the FBI raided Menendez’s home in Englewood Cliffs, resulting in the seizure of $480,000 in cash. Prosecutors discovered some of the money in coat pockets and envelopes with the businessmen’s fingerprints still on them.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/sen-bob-menendez-bribery-trial-set-for-may-2024.html
