Liam Conner
washington — A star witness who testified on bribing New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez will be back on the stand on Monday.
Jose Uribe, a New Jersey insurance broker, told jurors last week that he bought the Democratic senator’s wife Nadine Menendeza new Mercedes-Benz convertible in exchange for the senator’s “power and influence” to thwart criminal investigations into his business partners.
Uribe pleaded guilty in March and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in case against Menéndezwho pleaded not guilty and denied having accepted any bribes.
In 2018, Uribe was desperate to help a business associate accused of insurance fraud and an employee who was under investigation.
“I was fucked,” Uribe said Friday.
Uribe testified that his friend, Wael Hana, who is on trial with Menendez, told him he had “a way to make these things disappear” for $200,000 to $250,000, and mentioned the Menendezes.
“What did he say about them?” asked prosecutor Lara Pomerantz.
“He could go to Nadine,” Uribe said. “Nadine will work with – go to Senator Menendez.”
Prosecutors allege that Menéndez called New Jersey State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to try to stop the insurance fraud case in January 2019. The alleged interference didn’t work, however, and Uribe’s business partner ended up pleading guilty. But the investigation into Uribe’s employee, whom he considers a daughter, continued.
Uribe said he repeatedly messaged Hana to assure her the issue would be resolved favorably by the senator, but was losing hope that Hana was doing her part. So he approached Nadine Menéndez himself in March 2019 with an offer: “I will provide the car as long as she helps me,” he said.
Nadine Menendez needed a car after an accident in December 2018 and had complained to Hana about his lack of vehicle.
Uribe and Nadine Menendez agreed that he would buy her a car and that the senator, whom she would marry the following year, would try to shut down the investigation, he told jurors.
Menendez is on trial alongside Hana, the owner of a halal certification company, and Fred Daibes, a real estate developer. Hana and Daibes, accused of trying to bribe the senator, also pleaded not guilty.
The judge postponed Nadine Menéndez’s trial until later this summer because she is being treated for breast cancer. She also pleaded not guilty.
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