An Egyptian-American businessman accused of bribing New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez with gold bars attempted to distance himself from the alleged corrupt politician on Tuesday by claiming, through his lawyer, that they were not friends.
Wael Hana, 40, formerly of Edgewater, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty during a hearing in Manhattan federal court to allegations that he bribed the longtime Democrat with at least two one-ounce gold bars, exercise machines , an air purifier and three payments of $10,000 to his wife Nadine Menéndez, who is also accused in the scheme.
Outside court after the hearing, Hana’s attorney, Lawrence Lustberg, said his client did not consider himself a friend of the veteran Garden State senator, but admitted he had known Nadine for “many, many years.”
“He pleaded not guilty because he is not guilty,” Lustberg said.
The lawyer said Hana left his wife and three children in Egypt to appear in the case.
Wael Hana is no friend of Sen. Bob Menendez, his lawyer said after his indictment on bribery charges Tuesday.
Judge Ona Wang allowed Hana to walk free on $5 million personal bail secured by $300,000 in cash and shares of Capitol Management LLC. It was unclear what Hana’s relationship was with the company.
Hana cannot travel outside of New Jersey or parts of New York.
He was accused Friday in a wide-ranging indictment of having a corrupt deal with Menendez, in which the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who has since resigned, would allegedly dole out political favors for the Egyptian government and Hana in exchange for the bribes. .
Menéndez has maintained his innocence and will be arraigned on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan.REUTERS
The Menendezes and two other alleged corrupt businessmen also charged in the scheme are due to make their first court appearance in the case on Wednesday.
Menendez, 69, allegedly ensured that Egypt received “substantial military aid” from the United States and provided its government officials with non-public information about the number and nationality of people working at the US embassy in Cairo. , prosecutors stated.
Hana’s company, IS EG Halal, was also given a monopoly on halal certifications for American foods destined for Egypt, despite having no prior experience with such certifications. When U.S. officials rejected the monopoly, Menendez defended Hana, prosecutors alleged.
Hana’s lawyer said his client left his wife and three children in Egypt to appear in the case.
In exchange, Hana allegedly paid Nadine $30,000, which she used to pay off her mortgage arrears, and he gave the couple exercise equipment and an air purifier worth thousands of dollars, the feds claimed.
Menendez also allegedly received a Mercedes-Benz convertible in a separate alleged bribery scheme with New Jersey businessman Jose Uribe, 56, in exchange for helping Uribe’s associate and employee in criminal cases, prosecutors claimed.
The senator is also accused of pocketing two one-kilogram gold bars from New Jersey businessman Fred Daibes, 66, in exchange for helping him in a criminal case, the feds claimed.
It is alleged that hundreds of thousands of dollars found hidden in Menendez’s home, stuffed in envelopes, even inside his jackets, with his name on them, were ill-gotten gains.
But the politician said Monday that he had been withdrawing legally earned money from his bank accounts for years, a habit he learned from his Cuban immigrant father.
He has maintained his innocence and has said he will not resign from his position, which he has held since 2006.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn