Jose Uribe, the New Jersey businessman accused of bribing Senator Bob Menendez by giving his wife Nadine a $60,000 Mercedes-Benz has pleaded guilty in the corruption case, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Uribe is one of three businessmen accused of participating in a years-long bribery scheme with the lawmaker and his wife to benefit themselves and the Government of Egypt.
On Friday, Uribe appeared in federal court in New York and entered a guilty plea on seven charges for conspiracy to commit bribery, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice, according to The Hill.
While details on an agreement, if any, Uribe may have struck with prosecutors remains unknown, his guilty plea doesn't bode well for the New Jersey senator.
Despite calls for his resignation, Menendez has refused to give up office and vowed to fight his charges. Uribe was initially indicted on two charges last fall. Five additional charges were unveiled in his guilty plea.
Menendez's defense could be complicated if Uribe cooperates with the government in the widespread corruption case.
Uribe is accused of bribing the Democrat senator with a luxury car for his wife in exchange for Menendez agreeing to block the New Jersey attorney general's criminal investigation into the businessman.
The businessman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14. Menendez's trial is set to begin on May 6.
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In addition to Uribe, two other businessmen are accused of bribing the senator with lavish gifts in exchange for him to use his political influence to benefit their interests. Wael Hana and Fred Daibes have both pleaded not guilty to the charges in the alleged bribery scheme.
Hana, a wealthy hala meat importer, and Nadine are accused of plotting with the senator between January 2018 and June 2022 to aid the Egyptian government.
Hana allegedly bribed the couple with lavish gifts and substantial sums of money, including $150,000 in gold bars.
Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer, is accused of bribing the couple to get Menendez to intervene in a bank fraud case against him.
During an FBI raid at the couple's home, agents located a plethora of items including envelopes stuffed with cash and four gold bars that had serial numbers matching those Daibes previously reported stolen.
Prosecutors alleged the gold bars recovered in the FBI raid are linked to a 2013 armed robbery of Daibes' home.
Daibes went to police and claimed four armed men broke into his Edgewater home and stole $500k in cash and 22 gold bars. The real estate developer enlisted the police department's help to find the stolen items, which they later tracked down and returned to him.
Bergen County prosecutor records revealed that Daibes was required to certify he owned the gold bars by filling out "property release forms," which included the gold bar's serial numbers.