Sen. Menendez sold power for gold, prosecutor says at corruption trial’s close

NEW YORK — Bob Menendez sold his power for money and gold to help Egypt’s government and businessmen who showered the once-powerful senator and his wife with bribes, a prosecutor said on Monday in his closing argument at Menendez’s corruption trial.

Over more than seven weeks of testimony, federal prosecutors sought to persuade a jury that Menendez accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in the form of gold bars, cash, and car and mortgage payments.

In exchange, prosecutors said the New Jersey Democrat sought to help Egypt secure billions of dollars in U.S. military assistance and aid the business and legal interests of New Jersery businessmen Fred Daibes, Wael Hana and Jose Uribe.

“It wasn’t enough for him to be one of the most powerful people in Washington,” prosecutor Paul Monteleoni said in his closing argument in Manhattan federal court. “He also wanted to pile up riches for himself and his wife.”

At the outset of a closing argument expected to last five hours, Monteleoni said Bob Menendez sought to benefit Hana and Egyptian officials with whom he was close after Hana put Nadine Menendez on his payroll in a “sham job” that paid her $10,000 per month.

Bob Menendez ghostwrote a letter for Egyptian officials to respond to concerns a fellow senator had raised about the country’s human rights record, and pressed a U.S. Department of Agriculture official to stop scrutinizing a deal prosecutors say Egypt’s government granted Hana’s company to certify halal meat.

Monteleoni’s closing argument is expected to resume today. Defense closing arguments will follow.