Feds: Senator Menendez accepted bribes from Daibes to help Qatar dealings

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is accused of accepting bribes from prominent North Jersey developer Fred Daibes in exchange for his help on a multi-million dollar business deal connected to the Qatar government.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

The superseding indictment, the third from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York since late September, contains no new charges, but instead new allegations of an alleged corrupt relationship between Menendez and Dabies.

“In or about 2023, the Qatari Investment Company entered into a joint venture with a company controlled by Fred Dabies, the defendant, and invested tens of millions of dollars into the project,” federal prosecutors allege.

“Therefore, Robert Menendez, the defendant, continued to receive things of value from the Qatari Investment Company. In particular, on or about May 2023, the Qatari Investor caused four tickets for the 2023 Formula Grand Prix race in Miami to be provided to the relative [of Nadine Menendez, the senator’s wife].”

Senator Menendez is also accused of making “several public statements” in support of Qatar around this time, as well as introducing Daibes to Qatari investors and even a member of their ruling family.

 The Daily Beast first reported on the Qatari dealings in May.

Menendez, then the chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his wife are accused of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit extortion under color and official right.

They are also accused of having a “corrupt relationship” with Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Daibes, who are all New Jersey businessmen. Those three are charged with the first two counts.

Furthermore, Menendez allegedly traded government secrets with the country of Egypt to help secure a U.S. Department of Agriculture contract with Hana’s halal meat company.

Overall, the indictment charges that the Menendezes accepted corrupt payments for their mortgage, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300, $486,471 in cash, another $79,760 from the safe deposit box, two one-kilogram gold bars, and 11 one-ounce gold bars.

Additionally, the first superseding indictment from October charges that New Jersey’s senior senator acted as a foreign agent to Egypt.

Menendez has hinted he will seek re-election on several occasions, but is yet to make a formal announcement either way.

Last week, a federal judge ruled against postponing his trial, keeping the date set for May 6th, about a month before the June 4th, 2024 primary election.

U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-3) and First Lady Tammy Murphy, Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) wife, are declared Democratic Senate candidates angling to succeed Menendez and both have been highly critical of the charges against the incumbent.