Senator Bob Menendez of the state of New Jersey faces a second charge-in-law, from federal prosecutors, which adds to previous allegations of accepting bribes. According to a CNN News report, “the new indictment, made public Tuesday, amends and replaces the original indictment”.

The new charges allege that Menendez made statements favorable to Qatar to assist a local developer, Fred Daibes, in obtaining a significant investment from a company linked to the Arab country. During negotiations in 2021 and 2022, Menendez reportedly expressed support for Qatar, aiming to benefit the country's developer and investor. The indictment alleges that Daibes sent text messages to Menendez, including photos of luxury watches and asking him which ones he wanted to get, NBC News reported.

In addition to the bribery charges, according to CNN, “Menendez is accused of acting as a foreign agent for the government of Egypt by allegedly taking steps to help the country in exchange for one of the defendants obtaining a monopoly on a Halal export business. Menendez has vigorously denied any wrongdoing”.

Menendez’s lawyer, Adam Fee, calls the new allegations “desperate”, arguing that they are based on unfounded assumptions and turn legitimate interactions between the senator and foreign officials into a persecution. Menendez and Daibes have pleaded not guilty to the previous charges, which include using influence to receive bribes, including cash, gold bars, mortgage payments, among other benefits.

The new charges suggest that federal prosecutors reviewed Menendez’s online searches, alleging that he sought information about the value of gold after a trip to Qatar. Menendez reportedly introduced Daibes to a Qatari investor, a member of the royal family, resulting in a multimillion-dollar deal between the Qatari company and Daibes. The senator reportedly received ongoing benefits from the Qatari company, including tickets to the 2023 Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami, according to the CNN News article.

These new charges are in addition to the previous ones, which include conspiracy to bribe, honest services fraud, and acting as a foreign agent. Menendez, a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, temporarily stepped aside from the post but remains on the committee. Despite the accusations, he vehemently denies the allegations, highlighting his record of defending human rights and democracy, especially in Egypt, where he also faces accusations of providing classified information to the U.S. government for the benefit of the Egyptian government.