New court filings have shed light on an alleged bribery scheme involving New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine. According to the documents, Nadine received a diamond engagement ring as part of the scheme, which also involved her using an alternate phone referred to as her “007” device. The veteran Democrat is accused of having an arrangement with Wael Hana, an Egyptian-American halal purveyor.
The court documents reveal that Menendez allegedly received $150,000 in exchange for intervening in a criminal insurance fraud case. Hana, who is accused of funneling bribes to the Menendezes through his company, was tasked with purchasing a new Mercedes Benz convertible and a $35,000 diamond ring for Nadine. However, Hana bought a $12,000 ring and spent the remaining amount on personal luxury items for himself.
Prosecutors state that a confidential source with ties to Egyptian officials claimed that Hana’s actions were about to ruin the relationship between Menendez and Hana. The new Mercedes was intended to replace the car Nadine wrecked in a fatal pedestrian accident in Bogota in 2018.
Last fall, both Bob and Nadine Menendez pleaded not guilty to federal charges of accepting bribes from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for political favors. Additional charges accused Menendez of acting as an agent of Egyptian and Qatari interests leveraging his position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The new court filings refute Menendez’s request to block evidence seized during searches of his Englewood Cliffs home, arguing that investigators were thorough and did not overlook favorable details. The filings also reveal that Menendez made calls using Nadine’s “007” phone, referencing the fictional spy James Bond.
During the search of the Menendez residence, investigators allegedly found two bags filled with $100,000 cash each, along with cash-stuffed boots. The couple had previously claimed that the gold bars found at their home were inherited from Nadine’s deceased mother.
Prosecutors further allege that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Menendez asked several New Jersey mayors to authorize COVID testing at a laboratory that was paying Nadine at the time.
The new evidence presented in the court filings aims to demonstrate Menendez’s knowledge of the alleged corrupt quid pro quo. Prosecutors dismiss claims by Menendez’s counsel that the allegations are a result of the government’s desire to retaliate after the senator narrowly avoided a federal corruption conviction in 2017.
