The FBI is conducting an investigation to find out whether or not Egyptian intelligence companies might have been concerned within the alleged bribery scheme described within the indictment of Senator Bob Menendez and his spouse, sources accustomed to the matter mentioned. He told NBC News.
The counterintelligence investigation comes along with the federal corruption case in opposition to Menendez, through which he’s accused of accepting lots of of hundreds of {dollars} in bribes, the sources mentioned. As chairman of the Senate International Relations Committee, Menendez helped oversee billions of {dollars} in US support to Egypt. He resigned from his place as president after being indicted.
The sources mentioned that investigators wish to know whether or not Egyptian intelligence officers or their companions tried to achieve the New Jersey Democrat by way of his spouse, Nadine.
in accordance with Indictment on three counts The matter was revealed final week, as Menendez accepted beneficiant bribes to train his political place on behalf of the Egyptian authorities and to complement a gaggle of Egyptian-American businessmen who had been named as co-defendants within the case.
The three New Jersey-based businessmen named as co-defendants, who allegedly offered bribes starting from “lots of of hundreds of {dollars}” in gold bullion to a Mercedes-Benz convertible value greater than $60,000, are Wael Hanna, Jose Uribe and Farid. Dabes.
Uribe and Daibes are scheduled to seem in court docket on Wednesday, together with Menendez and his spouse.
Hannah was arraigned Tuesday and pleaded not responsible in Manhattan federal court docket.
Hanaa’s lawyer, Larry Lustberg, denied that his consumer had ties to Egyptian intelligence. He mentioned Hannah and Nadine Menendez have been pals for years, and that friendship will probably be a part of their protection in opposition to bribery prices.
Each defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to commit trustworthy companies fraud. Menendez and his spouse face a further cost of conspiracy to commit acts of extortion underneath the guise of official justice.
Nadine Menendez’s lawyer declined to remark when requested whether or not it was attainable that Egyptian intelligence officers had used her. Menendez’s Senate workplace didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Menendez’s place on the helm of the International Relations Committee put him “in a central place for overseas intelligence companies trying to get him to make choices on this matter,” mentioned Frank Figliuzzi, an NBC Information safety analyst and former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence. “For his or her profit, together with choices on army tools and materiel and on financing.”
“The query right here is whether or not this all began chronologically with the senator’s marriage, the place the senator would want believable deniability or distance from any dealings which may happen with intelligence brokers,” Figliuzzi added. “All of it must be checked out from a counterintelligence perspective.”
Menendez has denied all prices in opposition to him and has resisted calls to resign amid the investigation.
The Egyptian Embassy in Washington, D.C., didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Tuesday night time.