More allegations have come to light against Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., as he had already been charged with four counts related to his alleged bribery scheme involving the government of Egypt. According to a second superseding indictment that was unsealed on Tuesday, Jan. 3, Menendez allegedly accepted expensive gifts, like wrist watches, to say positive things about Qatar.
Prosecutors allege that Menendez helped a New Jersey developer, Fred Daibes, broker a multimillion-dollar investment in a real estate project with a Qatar-based company that prosecutors said is tied to the royal family, according to the indictment. Daibes is listed as a co-defendant on the indictment.
“Menendez provided Daibes with these statements so that Daibes could share them with the Qatari Investor and a Qatari government official associated with the Qatari Investment Company,” the indictment said.
According to prosecutors, text messages between Daibes and Menendez about the scheme were discovered, along with messages and photos sent via encrypted app regarding expensive watches. Prosecutors allege that Daibes asked Menendez “how about one of those” referring to images of luxury watches ranging in price from $9,990 to $23,990.
Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his lawyers responded to the recent indictment by saying the new allegations “stink of desperation.”
Back in September, Menendez was indicted on bribery charges; prosecutors said he and his wife pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes that included cash, gold bars, payments toward a home mortgage, and luxury car payments, among others listed in the original indictment. Menendez has stepped down as Foreign Relations chair but remains on the committee; his trial is scheduled for May 2024.
