- Bob Menendez, 69, was charged in September with bribery, extortion and fraud – accused of accepting cash and a Mercedes-Benz in exchange for political favors
- One of the three men Menendez is accused of paying to help 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 September raid on Menendez's home.
A New Jersey senator accused of taking bribes from local businessmen in exchange for political favors had gold bars in his home that belonged to one of the men accused of bribing him, a report said.
Bob Menendez, 69, was accused in September of accepting 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 raided.
On Monday, it emerged that the gold bars found in the raid on Menendez's home belonged to Fred Daibes – one of three businessmen accused of paying Menendez for help.
Daibes, a New Jersey real estate mogul, had his penthouse broken into in 2013 and gold bars stolen – along with cash and other items.
Senator Bob Menendez was charged with bribery and fraud in September. He said the allegations were “just accusations.”
Fred Daibes, a real estate magnate from New Jersey, had gold bars stolen from him in 2013 and then returned. They have since turned up at Menendez's home
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York showed the gold bars found at Menendez's home. The serial numbers correspond to those stolen from and returned to Daibes
The perpetrators were caught and confessed, and Daibes signed official police documents declaring that the gold bars were his, identifiable thanks to 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.
Their discovery will likely be a key part of prosecutors' argument as they allege Menendez was paid by Daibes for favors.
“All of this spells bad news for Senator Menendez, because the chain of custody, it seems, will be very 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 does not prove the crime of bribery.
'Was there any quid pro quo? Was it in return for the senator's official actions – or promises thereof?'
Senator Bob Menendez is seen with his wife Nadine Arslanian – an Armenian, born in Lebanon, whom he married in 2020
Stacks of cash from the raid on the Menendez's New Jersey home are on display
Menendez's attorney said the senator “will not comment on anonymous media leaks intended to prejudice his right to a fair trial.”
The lawyer added: “He looks forward to addressing the government's claims in court, based on a full review of the evidence.”
Menendez has denied taking payouts 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 had large amounts of cash at home because his family was from Cuba.
“For 30 years, I have withdrawn thousands in cash from my personal savings account, which I have kept for emergencies and because of my family's history of being confiscated in Cuba,” he said.
Menendez said there was no evidence of wrongdoing and said the charges were “just accusations.”
A lawyer for Daibes said he is confident his client “will be acquitted when all evidence has been heard.”