Sen. Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, was convicted Tuesday on all counts in a federal bribery trial involving three New Jersey businessmen and the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
Menendez was charged with 16 counts in an 18-count indictment that alleged the longtime politician was involved. a vast corruption scheme in which he promised to help Egypt in various ways and trying to pressure high officials of the Department of Agriculture to protect the state monopoly awarded to the beginning of the halal certification owned by Wael Hana, who was judged by senator.
He is also accused of interfering with a criminal investigation by the New Jersey attorney general’s office into a former insurance broker. Jose Uribewho pleaded guilty to trying to bribe Menendez by buying his wife, Nadine Menendeza $60,000 Mercedes-Benz convertible.
Menendez also tried to interfere federal prosecutors from real estate developer Fred Daibescodefendant in the trial, while helping people receive the results of lucrative investments with Qatar, according to prosecutors.
Finally, prosecutors said, Menendez tried to hide some of the bribe payments by characterizing them as loans.
Menendez said he is “deeply disappointed” by the verdict and plans to appeal.
Here’s a look at each cost in the case:
Count 1: Conspiracy to commit bribery
This offense is related to the Egyptian part of the scheme, as well as the prosecution of the Daibes federal bank fraud and the Qatari element.
Menendez was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery. Hana and Daibes were found guilty.
Count 2: Conspiracy to commit honest services fraud
The amount includes every element of the alleged corruption scheme – Egypt, meddling in criminal cases and Qatar.
Menendez was found guilty of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. Hana and Daibes were found guilty.
Count 3: Conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official rights
It also relates to all schemes.
Menendez was found guilty of conspiracy to commit extortion under the color of official rights. Hana and Daibes were not charged with this offense.
Count 4: Conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice
The count includes Menendez’s alleged attempt to interfere with the federal bank fraud case against Daibes.
Menendez was found guilty of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice. Daibes was found guilty. Hana was not charged with this offense.
Count 5: Bribery
The charges allege Menendez accepted bribes from Hana and Daibes in exchange for taking actions to benefit Hana and Egypt’s halal certification monopoly, including pressuring Department of Agriculture officials and promising to approve military aid to Egypt.
Menendez was found guilty of bribery. Hana and Daibes were charged in separate counts.
Count 6: Bribery
It alleges Hana and Daibes offered and gave bribes to Menendez and his wife, including cash, gold bars, mortgage payments to save Nadine Menendez’s home from foreclosure and “low or no show” jobs that paid tens of thousands of dollars. .
Hana and Daibes were found guilty from bribery. Menendez was not included in this count.
Count 7: Honest services wire fraud
The charges relate to actions Menendez took to allegedly benefit Hana and Egypt while receiving valuables from Hana and Daibes.
Menendez was found guilty of honest services wire fraud. Hana and Daibes were found guilty.
Count 8: Extortion under color of official rights
The charges are also linked to actions Menendez took to allegedly benefit Hana and Egypt while receiving valuables from Hana and Daibes.
Menendez was found guilty of extortion under the color of official rights. Hana and Daibes were not charged.
Count 9: Honest service wire fraud
This is related to Menendez’s promise to interfere with the prosecution of the New Jersey attorney general and the investigation of Uribe’s business associates. in exchange for a Mercedes.
Menendez was found guilty from honest service wire fraud. Hana is considered guilty. Daibes is not included.
Count 10: Extortion under the color of official rights
The charges relate to Menendez’s attempt to intervene in a criminal case involving Uribe’s business associates in exchange for a Mercedes.
Menendez was found guilty of extortion under the color of official rights. Hana and Daibes were not charged.
Count 11: Bribery
The indictment alleges Daibes gave Menendez and his wife thousands of dollars in gold bars and cash. In return, Menendez allegedly tried to use his influence to nominate a federal prosecutor who he thought could make the bank fraud case against Daibes go away. Menendez also made public statements in support of Qatar and introduced Daibes to members of the Qatari royal family who invested in real estate projects.
Menendez was found guilty of bribery. Daibes was charged in a separate count. Hana is not included.
Count 12: Bribery
This charge includes the same charges as the previous count.
Daibes was found guilty of bribery. Menendez was charged in a separate count. Hana is not included.
Count 13: Honest service wire fraud
The allegations include Menendez’s actions allegedly benefitting Daibes and Qatar.
Menendez was found guilty of honest services wire fraud. Daibes was found guilty. Hana is not included in this count.
Count 14: Extortion under the color of official rights
The indictment also details Menendez’s alleged actions to benefit Daibes and Qatar.
Menendez was found guilty of extortion under the color of official rights. Hana and Daibes were not charged.
Count 15: Conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent
This count relates to Menendez’s actions against Egypt, including ghostwriting letters on behalf of Egypt to lobby his Senate colleagues to release aid to the country and providing him with details about US Embassy employees in Cairo.
Menendez was found guilty of conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent. Hana is considered guilty. Daibes was not charged with this offense.
Count 16: Public official acting as a foreign agent
This count also comes from Menendez’s actions against Egypt.
Menendez was found guilty of acting as a foreign agent while serving as a public official. Hana and Daibes, who are not public officials, were not charged with this offense.
Count 17: Conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice
The counts relate to Menendez writing his wife a check to reimburse Hana for $23,000 in mortgage payments and $21,000 to Uribe for a car payment after learning he was under investigation.
Menendez was found guilty of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice. Hana and Daibes are not included in this count.
Count 18: Obstruction of justice
Charging is also based on checks Menendez wrote to his wife to reimburse Hana and Uribe.
Menendez was found guilty of obstruction of justice. Hana and Daibes were not charged with this count.