Internet blasts Bob Menendez as FBI witness details cash and gold bars seized from his New Jersey house
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: The final witness for the prosecution in the corruption trial of Senator Bob Menendez was an FBI accountant who detailed the cash and gold bars seized at the New Jersey Democrat's house.
On Friday, June 28, Megan Rafferty, the FBI accountant, summarized the evidence related to the cash and gold bars seized during a raid on the lawmaker’s Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022, as well as the contents of a safe deposit box belonging to his wife, Nadine Menendez.
Sen Menendez, who has served three terms, is set to present his defense on July 1 in a New York trial where he faces charges related to bribery schemes and allegations of acting as an agent of Egypt, according to Bloomberg.
The jury has heard testimony from over 25 witnesses over the past six weeks.
The 70-year-old is being tried alongside businessmen Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, while his wife, Nadine, is facing a separate trial due to her battle with cancer.
Another businessman, Jose Uribe, has pleaded guilty and testified for the prosecution as a witness in the case.
What did FBI accountant Megan Rafferty reveal during her Friday testimony?
Rafferty tied together various elements of the prosecution's case. She claimed to have examined records on $552,190 seized by agents, which included $117,220 in cash printed after 2018.
The prosecutors are aiming to counter arguments from the defense claiming that the cash originated from regular withdrawals made by Sen Menendez over many years, rather than from bribes.
Prosecutors argue that some of the cash found in envelopes bore the fingerprints of Daibes, a developer who allegedly sought the senator's assistance in securing Qatari funds for a high-rise project in Edgewater, New Jersey.
Rafferty also mentioned that Menendez had withdrawn $86,948 from his Senate federal credit union account between 2016 and June 2022.
Furthermore, she discussed 13 gold bars that were valued at $266,066 when they were seized by agents.
Prosecutors allege that these bars, weighing either one kilogram or one ounce, were used as bribes by Daibes and Hana.
Sen Menendez's legal team has argued that Nadine did not inform the senator about receiving the gold bars as gifts, and when he became aware of them, he disclosed them on a Senate ethics form.
During cross-examination, Adam Fee, a lawyer representing Sen Menendez, questioned Rafferty about financial records indicating that since 2008, Sen Menendez had been making regular $400 withdrawals from a Congressional credit union account.
Fee asked, "If you saw withdrawals of roughly $400 every two weeks for 14 years, would you consider that to be a pattern?" before the judge sustained an objection from prosecutors.
Internet blasts Bob Menendez as an FBI accountant details the cash and gold seized during his house raid
Netizens were quick to deride Sen Menendez as the FBI accountant's testimony in the Democrat lawmaker's corruption trial came to light.
One commented, "He had to take the gold and cash because he knew the feds were watching his bank accounts. He belongs in jail. Lock him up already."
Another claimed, "Corrupt politicians always think they can get away with anything. He's been corrupt for years and his wife even got away with murder after hitting and killing a pedestrian with her gifted Mercedes. They should both be in jail."
"Replace the gifted gold bars with prison bars beyond a hopeful trial determination involving Menendez, and prove our justice isn't on life support at present," remarked a person and someone else added, "Influence peddling.....another lifelong Dem!!!"
One more said, "If found guilty, Menendez will become the 'poster boy' for the lowest level of personal character he shares with many others on both sides of the aisle."
"Corrupt to the Bone !!" exclaimed another person.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
