What you should know
- A co-defendant in the alleged corruption investigation against New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, who allegedly gave the lawmaker’s wife a luxury convertible, has agreed to plead guilty and will cooperate with prosecutors, our sister network NBC New York has learned.
- Businessman José Uribe pleaded guilty to seven counts in connection with the alleged corruption investigation, including conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, obstruction of justice and more.
- Uribe agreed to cooperate with prosecutors investigating allegations against the New Jersey senator and will testify against Menéndez.
NEW YORK — A co-defendant in the alleged corruption investigation against New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, who allegedly gave the lawmaker’s wife a luxury convertible, has agreed to plead guilty and will cooperate with prosecutors, our sister network has learned. NBC New York.
Businessman José Uribe pleaded guilty to seven counts in connection with the alleged corruption investigation, including conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, obstruction of justice and more.
Uribe agreed to cooperate with prosecutors investigating allegations against the New Jersey senator and will testify against Menéndez.
“It is understood that the defendant… will truthfully and completely disclose all information regarding his activities and those of others in connection with all matters about which this Office asks him,” the plea agreement states.
Menendez, a Democrat, and his wife are accused of accepting bribes in the form of gold bars, a luxury car and cash in exchange for using their enormous influence in foreign affairs to help the government of Egypt, and others. , as well as other corrupt acts, according to an indictment that was filed in September 2023.
Jose Uribe is a New Jersey businessman in the trucking and insurance business who was friends with fellow co-defendant Wael Hana, according to court documents. Hana and Uribe allegedly gave Nadine Menéndez a Mercedes convertible after the senator called a government official about another case involving an associate of Uribe, according to the indictment.
“Congratulations mon amour de la vie, we are the proud owners of a 2019 Mercedes,” Nadine Menendez texted her husband, along with a heart emoji after receiving the vehicle.
Uribe allegedly gave the Mercedes to Menendez and his wife while seeking help with a criminal investigation into his associates who were being ousted from the New Jersey state attorney general’s office. In exchange, Menendez is accused of calling then-New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal directly about the matter.
Uribe is one of three businessmen from whom the couple is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, along with Hana and Fred Daibes.
Menendez, his wife and all other defendants pleaded not guilty. Uribe had previously pleaded not guilty in October, but in a surprising reversal, he changed his plea on Friday.
If Uribe had been convicted of all seven charges, he would face up to 95 years in prison. It was unclear what prison sentence, if any, he would face as a result of the plea deal.
This is a developing story.
2024-03-02 01:53:17
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