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Sen. Bob Menendez’s Wife Nadine Killed a Man with Her Car in 2018. She Was Then Gifted a New Car

HeadlineOct 05, 2023

Damning new information has emerged in the bribery indictment against New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, his wife Nadine and two of their three co-defendants. Nadine Menendez hit and killed a pedestrian in a 2018 car crash in Bogota, New Jersey. Not only did she not suffer any legal repercussions, she received a new car following the lethal crash. According to police reports and dashcam video, Nadine Menendez claimed the 49-year-old victim jumped onto her windshield. She was not held by police or tested for drugs or alcohol after the crash. Video of police questioning her immediately after the crash shows an officer treating her deferentially.

Police officer: “Our job is to investigate everything that happens. That’s what we’re trying to do. Obviously, the more information” —

Nadine Arslanian: “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Police officer: “No, no.”

Nadine Arslanian: “I — you know?”

Police officer: “Look, I understand. I understand. It does expedite our investigation when people can help us out, because” —

Nadine Arslanian: “And I wasn’t” —

Police officer: — “if we can clear you from any wrongdoing, I want to get you home and comfortable and not here anymore. You know what I’m saying? Nothing against you.”

The fatal crash took place before Nadine was married to the senator but while the two were in a relationship. She received a brand-new Mercedes-Benz four months after the crash. According to court documents in the bribery indictment, the $60,000 car was gifted to Nadine by New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Jose Uribe, two co-defendants in the bribery case. Prosecutors accuse Senator Menendez of offering to put pressure on the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to go easy on an associate of Uribe. According to the indictment, Wael Hana, an Egyptian American citizen, “worked to introduce Egyptian intelligence and military officials to Menendez for the purpose of establishing and solidifying a corrupt agreement.”

Senator Ben Cardin, who replaced Menendez as Senate Foreign Relations chair, just blocked $235 million in U.S. military funding to Egypt. A judge has set a trial date of May 6 in the bribery case against the Menendez couple, Hana, Uribe and another businessman, Fred Daibes.

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