A New Jersey businessman, Wael Hana, rescued the home of Sen. Bob Menendez’s wife from foreclosure by providing over $20,000 toward the mortgage in 2019. The businessman allegedly asked Menendez to help secure a lucrative business relationship with Egypt in return for the favor. Menendez, his wife, Nadine, and Hana have all pleaded not guilty in the bribery trial. Nadine Menendez’s trial has been postponed until July due to her breast cancer diagnosis and surgery.
In 2022, an FBI raid on the Menendez’s home uncovered 13 gold bars and over $480,000 in cash. A federal agent testified about finding tens of thousands of dollars stuffed in the senator’s coat pockets, bags, and in a closet safe. Prosecutors claim that the gold bars, cash, and a luxury car found in the couple’s garage were proceeds from bribery. Menendez’s lawyers argue that the gold bars belonged to his wife and that the cash hoarded at home was a result of trauma from his family losing everything before fleeing Cuba.
According to lawyer John Moldovan, Hana asked him to establish a legal record that the money given to pay off the mortgage was a loan rather than a gift. Nadine Menendez owed nearly $271,000 on a $320,750 mortgage, and the payment was made as Hana secured a monopoly with Egypt for meat export certification. Prosecutors allege that Menendez took favorable actions toward Egypt to aid Hana while he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, leading to charges of acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Menendez had to relinquish his position after his arrest.
The trial, which began last week in Manhattan federal court, is expected to last at least another month. The prosecution is presenting evidence of the alleged bribery scheme involving Menendez, Hana, and Nadine Menendez. The defense is arguing that the senator’s actions were not motivated by bribery but rather by personal circumstances and trauma. The case has drawn attention to the intersection of political influence, personal relationships, and potential corruption in the world of business and government. As the trial unfolds, the details of the accusations and defenses will continue to be closely scrutinized by the public and legal experts alike.
