- Bob Menendez, 69, was indicted in September on bribery, extortion and fraud charges – he was accused of stealing cash and a Mercedes Benz in return for political favors
- One of the three men Menendez is accused of paying for his support was Fred Daibes, a New Jersey real estate magnate
- NBC reported that Daibes was robbed of gold bars in 2013: the gold was found and returned to him, but was found during the raid on Menendez’s home in September
A New Jersey senator who was indicted for accepting bribes from local businessmen in return for political favors had gold bars in his home that belonged to one of the men accused of bribery, according to a report.
Bob Menendez, 69, was charged in September with taking cash and gifts, including a Mercedes-Benz, from three business owners in exchange for using his “power and influence” to help them.
When the charges were announced, Menendez’s home was searched.
On Monday, it emerged that gold bars found during the raid on Menendez’s home belonged to Fred Daibes – one of three businessmen accused of paying Menendez for his endorsement.
Daibes, a New Jersey real estate tycoon, had his penthouse broken into in 2013 and gold bars, cash and other items stolen.
Senator Bob Menendez was indicted in September on bribery and fraud charges. He said the allegations were “just accusations”
Fred Daibes, a New Jersey real estate tycoon, had gold bars stolen in 2013 and then returned. They have since shown up at Menendez’s home
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York showed the gold bars found in Menendez’s home. The serial numbers match those stolen from Daibes and returned to Daibes
The perpetrators were caught and confessed, and Daibes signed an official police document certifying that the gold bars belonged to him and could be identified by the serial numbers and markings.
Daibes had the stolen gold bars returned to him.
But NBC News realized that Daibes’ gold bars were the same ones seized in the raid on Menendez’s home.
Her discovery is likely to be an important part of prosecutors’ argument as they allege that Menendez was paid by Daibes for favors.
“All of this spells bad news for Senator Menendez because the chain of custody – it seems – is going to be really easy to prove,” said NBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos.
Cevallos said that if Daibes gave gold bars to the senator and his wife, Nadine Menendez, that alone was not evidence of the crime of bribery.
“Was there anything in return? Was it a return for the senator’s official actions – or for corresponding promises?
Senator Bob Menendez is seen with his wife Nadine Arslanian – a Lebanon-born Armenian whom he married in 2020
Pictured are piles of cash from the raid on the Menendez home in New Jersey
Menendez’s lawyer said the senator “will not comment on anonymous media leaks intended to undermine his right to a fair trial.”
The lawyer added: “He looks forward to testing the government’s claims in court based on a full evidentiary hearing.”
Menendez has denied receiving payments from Daibes.
Prosecutors allege Daibes’ fingerprints and DNA are on some of the tens of thousands of dollars in cash found in Menendez’s home.
Menendez said he kept large amounts of cash in his home because his family is from Cuba.
“For 30 years, I have withdrawn thousands of cash from my personal savings account, which I kept for emergencies and because of a history of my family being confiscated in Cuba,” he said.
Menendez said there was no evidence of wrongdoing and said the allegations were “just allegations.”
A lawyer for Daibes said he was confident his client “will be exonerated once all the evidence is heard.”