Federal investigators discovered a significant amount of cash hidden in New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez’s home in the summer of 2022. Prosecutors have revealed that some of the cash had been issued by a bank where the senator and his wife did not have an account, suggesting that the money was given to them by someone else. The astonishing $500,000 found in various locations, such as jacket pockets, closets, and a safe, included money wrapped in bands from a bank where the couple had no known depository account. This information was disclosed in court records filed on Friday and obtained by The New York Times.
In an attempt to exclude the cash as evidence in his upcoming trial, Sen. Menendez’s lawyers argued that the government should not be allowed to influence the jury with the dramatic presentation of valuable items that only have a speculative connection to the charged offense. However, prosecutors countered by highlighting that the loose money could potentially serve as evidence that the 70-year-old lawmaker and his wife accepted bribes in exchange for political favors. Sen. Menendez and his wife, along with two Jersey businessmen who are also defendants, have all denied any wrongdoing.
