Businessman Who Gave Bob Menendez’s Wife a Mercedes Pleads Guilty to Attempted Bribery

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A New Jersey businessman charged with trying to bribe Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) by giving his wife a Mercedes-Benz has pleaded guilty in the corruption case.

Jose Uribe pleaded guilty in a federal court on Friday for conspiracy to commit bribery, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice, according to The Hill. The New Jersey lawmaker has vowed to fight the felony charges and refused to resign from his U.S. Senate seat.

The terms of Uribe’s plea agreement with the government have not been unveiled, but could further jeopardize Menendez’s defense if he chooses to cooperate. He was first indicted on two charges last year.

He was accused of assisting Menendez in obtaining a Mercedes-Benz for the senator’s wife, Nadine Arslanian, in exchange for Menendez agreeing to help block a criminal investigation into Uribe by New Jersey’s attorney general.

Uribe’s sentencing has been scheduled for June 14th while Menendez’s trial is set to begin on May 6th.

The senator faces a variety of charges related to corruption, including conspiracies to commit bribery, honest services fraud, and extortion. Prosecutors also accuse Menendez acting as a foreign for the Egyptian and Qatar governments while serving as a member of Congress.

Per The Hill:

The businessman also pleaded guilty to tax evasion for not reporting certain income from 2016 through 2021.

Two other businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were charged alongside Menendez and have pleaded not guilty.

Hana and Menendez’s wife are accused of plotting with Menendez between January 2018 and June 2022 to aid the Egyptian government. Menendez also allegedly recommended that the president nominate an individual as New Jersey attorney general, with the belief that person could be influenced regarding a criminal prosecution involving Daibes.