Bribe money from Qatar

US Senator Menendez convicted of corruption

Democratic US Senator Robert Menendez(Bild: AFP/Adam Gray)

Democratic Senator Robert Menendez was found guilty in a corruption trial on Tuesday (see video above). He is alleged to have accepted bribes from Egypt and Qatar. Menendez has already had several legal problems.

During a search of his home, investigators found 480,000 US dollars (the equivalent of 440,084.35 euros) in cash and gold bars worth 150,000 US dollars (the equivalent of 137,731.50 euros). The US senator, who has been in office since 2006, is accused of acting as an unregistered "foreign agent" for Egypt in return for bribes. For example, the 70-year-old is alleged to have favored US military aid for Egypt and protected the interests of businessman Wael Hana.

Robert Menendez on Tuesday(Bild: AFP/Adam Gray)

Wife also charged
In the Qatar case, the senator from the US state of New Jersey is accused of helping businessman Fred Daibes to secure investments worth millions from a fund. Menendez had pleaded not guilty. His wife Nadine is also due to go on trial in July. Another businessman involved in the alleged corruption cases has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the public prosecutor's office.

The politician had already been accused in 2015 of receiving flights in private jets, luxury vacations and more than 750,000 US dollars in illegal election campaign donations as bribes. However, the case was dropped.

Term of office expires in November
The verdict in the corruption trial, which began in May, was not yet known on Tuesday evening. Menendez has so far resisted calls to resign. During his term of office, he had risen to become chairman of the influential foreign policy committee. However, this is due to expire in November anyway.