Closing arguments are set to begin Monday at the bribery trial of New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez. The trial, now in its ninth week in Manhattan federal court, will see prosecutors presenting their case against the Democrat.
Prosecutors are expected to tie together the evidence they’ve presented against Menendez to support their claim that gold bars, over $480,000 in cash, and a luxury car found during a 2022 FBI raid on Menendez's residence are the proceeds of bribes paid by three New Jersey businessmen.
In addition to testimony from several dozen witnesses, prosecutors introduced hundreds of documents, emails, text messages, phone records, and other factual evidence to support their case.
Prosecutors allege that in return for bribes, the senator took actions from 2018 to 2022 to protect or enhance the business interests of the businessmen. Some of the alleged crimes occurred while Menendez held the powerful post of chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Menendez, 70, and two of the businessmen have pleaded not guilty and are on trial together. A third businessman pleaded guilty in the case and testified against the others during the federal trial.
Nadine Menendez, the senator's wife, is also charged in the case, but her trial has been postponed due to her recovery from breast cancer surgery. She has pleaded not guilty.
Menendez's defense team has argued that the gold bars belonged to his wife and that the cash found in his possession was a result of his family's history of storing cash at home. They also claim that Nadine Menendez kept the senator unaware of her financial troubles and dealings with the businessmen.
Menendez, who has been in public office since 1986, has continuously served in various capacities, including as a state legislator and a U.S. congressman. He filed to run for reelection this year as an independent.
