Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez’s wife enters plea in bribery case as questions swirl

Sen. Bob Menendez’s wife and three other alleged co-conspirators accused in a complex bribery scheme with the New Jersey Democrat pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday.

Nadine Menendez, along with Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes pleaded not guilty in a federal courtroom in New York, NorthJersey.com reported. 

It was the second time the co-defendants appeared in court after prosecutors filed a superseding indictment last week that charged Sen. Menendez, his wife and Hana, a New Jersey businessman from Egypt, with conspiracy for a public official to act as an agent of a foreign principal. 

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Daibes, a New Jersey developer, and businessman Uribe were not charged in the superseding indictment but appeared in court Wednesday NorthJersey.com reported. Menendez, his wife Nadine and the three businessmen were first charged in the federal bribery scheme on September 23. 

The indictment alleges that from at least 2018 through 2022, Menendez and his wife, Nadine, “engaged in a corrupt relationship” with Daibes, Hana and Uribe. The codefendants are accused of taking part in a bribery scheme that allegedly benefited Menendez and the Egyptian government. 

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The couple are accused of accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for using Menendez’s power and influence as a senator to seek to protect and enrich Hana, Uribe and Daibes and to benefit the Arab Republic of Egypt.”

Sen. Menendez is expected to next appear in court on October 23, after his arraignment on the new charge was rescheduled. 

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Menendez has denied the allegations and told Fox News Digital last week, following the superseding indictment, that he is “loyal to only one country.”

“The government’s latest charge flies in the face of my long record of standing up for human rights and democracy in Egypt and in challenging leaders of that country, including President El-Sisi, on these issues. I have been, throughout my life, loyal to only one country — the United States of America, the land my family chose to live in democracy and freedom,” he said. 

“Piling new charge upon new charge does not make the allegations true. The facts haven’t changed, only a new charge. It is an attempt to wear someone down, and I will not succumb to this tactic. I again ask people who know me and my record to give me the chance to present my defense and show my innocence,” Menendez said.

Fox News’ Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.