New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is currently on trial for federal bribery charges. The three-term Democrat, who previously chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is accused of using his political power to enrich himself and others through alleged bribery schemes involving Egyptian officials and Qatari businessmen. According to court documents, Menendez is facing 16 charges including bribery, extortion, acting as a foreign agent, and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors claim that Menendez helped Egyptian officials obtain sensitive information about the number of Americans and Egyptians who worked at the US embassy in Egypt. In return for this favor, Egyptian officials granted Hana's company a monopoly on US food exported to Egypt. Menendez is also accused of making favorable statements about Qatar to help Daibes secure a multimillion-dollar investment from a company tied to the country in exchange for gold bars and cash.
Menendez has pleaded not guilty and did not take the stand during his defense. His wife, Nadine, who is also facing charges, had her trial severed due to her undergoing breast cancer surgery. The New Jersey Democrat maintains that he was only advocating for his constituents and doing his job effectively.
The jury began deliberations on Friday afternoon following four days of closing arguments. Menendez's attorneys argued that the evidence showed only that he had been advocating for his constituents, while prosecutors accused him of corruption on a massive scale. The trial has been ongoing since March 2024.
The case against Menendez is not the first time he has faced criminal charges. In 2015, federal corruption charges against him were dropped after a jury failed to reach a verdict. He is one of three congressmen currently facing criminal charges, along with Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and now-expelled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.).
The trial has been taking place in Manhattan federal court presided over by Judge Sidney H. Stein.