US Senator Bob Menendez, wife plead not guilty to latest charges in graft case

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) — US Senator Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine Arslanian on Monday pleaded not guilty to new obstruction of justice charges in an ongoing graft case.

Last week, federal prosecutors in New York brought the charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice against the couple.

The charges against them and their associates in the alleged bribery scheme has risen from four to 18.

Menendez appeared at a hearing in the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York, accompanied by Arslanian and two other defendants implicated in the corruption case, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes.

Choosing not to address reporters, the Menendez couple remained silent while entering and leaving the Manhattan courthouse.

The New Jersey senator, who has pleaded not guilty to all prior charges, has recently been accused of using his position to illegally benefit the Qatari government. He is being accused of doing so in order to help businessman Fred Daibes attain a multi-million dollar investment from an investment firm with ties to Doha.

Menendez was allegedly paid by Daibes in cash, gold bars, and other items of value. Prosecutors allege that he exchanged messages with Daibes over an encrypted platform in which the businessman sent photos of two luxury watches valued between $9,990 and $23,990.

Following a years-long corruption investigation, Menendez was previously charged with illicitly using his office to benefit the Egyptian government.

He is accused of accepting bribes to use his power to benefit three businessmen and the Egyptian government, including attempts to influence the outcomes of state and federal investigations and passing restricted government information to Cairo. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges as well.

Menendez, the son of a Cuban immigrant family, is notable for his anti-Türkiye stance and alignment with the Greek and Armenian lobbies within the US Congress.

He has been vocal in his opposition to the US sale of F-16 jets to Türkiye and has expressed concerns regarding Ankara's policies in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions.