Google searches could amount to the evidence required to convict an embattled Democratic senator and land him behind bars.
The federal trial of New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez is scheduled to begin on Monday, according to Politico.
Prosecutors are alleging that the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee accepted 13 gold bars in return for official actions.
Menendez is accused of accepting lucrative bribes from agents of the governments of Egypt and Qatar in the case, as well as three New Jersey businessmen, according to The Washington Post.
Menendez had all charges in his previous indictment dismissed in January 2018.
New indictment says this “corrupt relationship” began around 2018. pic.twitter.com/DWAWjVtad4
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) September 22, 2023
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The gold was uncovered during a raid of the Menendez residence in the summer of 2022 by federal law enforcement.
The charges in the case point to a number of Google searches traced to Menendez appraising the luxury items.
Once, after returning from a trip to Qatar and Egypt, according to the indictment against him, Menendez did a Google search for “how much is one kilo of gold worth?”
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On another occasion, according to the indictment, Menendez allegedly searched “kilo of gold price,” one day after lobbying federal officials to go easy on New Jersey businessman Fred Daibes.
Daibes, as well as businessmen Wael Hana and and Jose Uribe, are also facing federal charges for their role in an alleged bribery scheme that saw themselves enriched with Menendez’s assistance.
Menendez allegedly used his key foreign policy position to connect the three other defendants with foreign business deals.
This isn’t the first time Menendez has faced allegations of corruption in a courtroom.
The influential Democrat beat a federal corruption case in 2018, according to Politico.
Deadlocked jurors were unable to reach a conclusion in that matter, resulting in a mistrial.
Menendez maintains his innocence, even going so far as to assert that he is being vindictively targeted by President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice on account of his ethnicity.
Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez issues statement saying, “Those behind this campaign simply cannot accept that a first-generation Latino American from humble beginnings could rise to be a U.S. Senator and serve with honor and distinction.” pic.twitter.com/bGDiGmC3y9
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) September 22, 2023
The senator is also accused of maneuvering for Egypt to receive generous military assistance from the U.S. government.
Menendez’s defense has suggested he’ll seek to blame his wife, Nadine Menendez, for improprieties, according to the Post.
Nadine Menendez is scheduled to be tried later this year, the Post reported.
