Bob Menendez: Bad Romance Part 2

Summary

Scamfluencers: Bob Menendez – Bad Romance Part 2

Released: November 18, 2024 | Host: Wondery | Co-hosts: Saatchi Cole and Sarah Hagee

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Introduction: The Indictment of Senator Bob Menendez and Nadine Menendez

In the second installment of the "Bad Romance" series, hosts Saatchi Cole and Sarah Hagee delve deeper into the tumultuous and scandal-ridden journey of Democratic New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez. This episode meticulously unpacks the layers of bribery, corruption, and personal turmoil that have plagued the Menendezes, culminating in their indictment and the subsequent fallout.

Press Conference Amidst Indictment

On September 25, 2023, amidst relentless media scrutiny, Senator Bob Menendez faces his first press conference since being indicted for bribery. Unlike his previous encounters with federal charges in 2015—where he exited to applause—this time, the atmosphere is tense and subdued.

[00:55] Saatchi Cole: "Do not apologize. I have no plans to resign."

Menendez defends his interactions with the Egyptian government, asserting accountability for their human rights record. However, his attempts to justify the FBI's discovery of $100,000 in gold bars at his residence falter under public skepticism.

Reopening of Nadine Menendez's Past Incident

As the Menendezes grapple with their legal battles, a new layer of controversy surfaces. The New Jersey Attorney General seizes records related to a fatal car accident from December 2018, where Nadine Menendez struck and killed Richard Coop. The dash cam footage reveals Nadine denying responsibility and refusing to hand over her phone, citing "texting and driving."

[06:57] Sarah Hagee: "She is the wife of a senator and she killed someone with her car. Regardless of whether or not she was found to be at fault or that she's like guilty of something, that is a huge deal."

This incident ignites further investigations, placing Nadine under intense scrutiny and reopening old wounds in the Menendezes' public image.

Escalation of Charges and Political Fallout

The legal troubles escalate when federal prosecutors add charges of conspiring to act as a foreign agent on Egypt's behalf. Nadine Menendez, who could technically act as a foreign agent if registered, has never done so, adding complexity to their case.

[07:14] Saatchi Cole: "Conspiring to act as a foreign agent on Egypt's behalf."

The political landscape shifts as Democratic colleagues, initially supportive, begin to distance themselves. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman becomes vocal, urging Menendez to resign, highlighting the party's concern over the optics amidst the upcoming presidential election.

[08:48] Sarah Hagee: "He's got to go."

The situation deteriorates further when Bob's former protege, Senator Cory Booker, breaks ranks to call for his resignation, emphasizing the gravity of Menendez's actions.

The Trial: Unraveling the Menendezes' Alleged Crimes

As the trial commences in January 2024, the courtroom becomes a battleground of testimonies and legal maneuvers. Key among the testimonies is that of Jose Uribe, a former associate who pled guilty and agrees to testify against Bob Menendez. Uribe's revelations about illicit deals and the Menendezes' role in appeasing foreign interests significantly weaken Menendez's defense.

[16:00] Sarah Hagee: "How is this happening?"

The defense attempts to shift blame onto Nadine, portraying her as the mastermind behind their alleged crimes. However, testimonies from former staffers like Sarah Arkin expose inconsistencies and highlight Bob's unusual conduct post-2019, strengthening the prosecution's case.

Verdict and Immediate Aftermath

On July 16, 2024, after a tumultuous trial marked by high-profile distractions—including a presidential debate catastrophe and an assassination attempt on Donald Trump—the jury delivers a unanimous guilty verdict on all 16 counts against Bob Menendez, including bribery, extortion, and conspiracy.

[28:49] Sarah Hagee: "Obviously, I'm deeply disappointed by the jury's decision."

Despite the conviction, Bob Menendez remains in the Senate until the end of his term. Under immense pressure and facing a historic Senate Ethics Committee review, Menendez resigns the day after the verdict. His resignation, however, is overshadowed by broader political turmoil, including President Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race and subsequent national crises.

Host Reflections: The Legacy of Bob Menendez

In the closing segments, Saatchi Cole and Sarah Hagee reflect on the magnitude of Menendez's fall from grace.

[33:13] Sarah Hagee: "He just went way too far."

While acknowledging that Menendez's actions may have operated within a broader political framework, the hosts emphasize the blatant nature of his corruption. They speculate on Menendez's potential resurgence in politics or media, despite his tarnished reputation.

[35:19] Saatchi Cole: "This is another episode that is a testament for why you should not get married."

The episode concludes with a contemplation of the lasting impact of the Menendez case on political integrity and public trust.

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Notable Quotes:

• Bob Menendez's Press Conference Defense:
  "[00:55] Saatchi Cole: 'Do not apologize. I have no plans to resign.'"

• Sarah Hagee on Nadine's Car Accident:
  "[06:57] Sarah Hagee: 'She is the wife of a senator and she killed someone with her car. (...) that is a huge deal.'"

• Senator John Fetterman's Call for Resignation:
  "[08:48] Sarah Hagee: 'He's got to go.'"

• Senator Cory Booker's Change of Stance:
  "[09:53] Saatchi Cole: 'So I called on him to resign, which is one of the more gun wrenching things I've done.'"

• Reflection on Menendez's Scandal:
  "[33:13] Sarah Hagee: 'He just went way too far.'"

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Conclusion

"Bad Romance Part 2" offers a comprehensive exploration of Senator Bob Menendez and Nadine Menendez's descent into legal chaos and personal disgrace. Through detailed narratives, witness testimonies, and insightful host commentary, the episode underscores the intricate web of political corruption and its far-reaching consequences. For listeners seeking an in-depth understanding of one of modern politics' most scandalous cases, this episode serves as a compelling and informative resource.

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Transcript

[Saatchi Cole]

Wondery subscribers can listen to Scamfluencers early and ad free. Right now. Join Wondery plus in the Wondery app or Apple Podcasts.

[Sarah Hagee]

Wondery.

[Saatchi Cole]

Sarah, what do you remember about the first part of our series on Bob and Nadine Menendez?

[Sarah Hagee]

Well, first of all, they are not the Menendez brothers.

[Saatchi Cole]

No. They're somebody else.

[Sarah Hagee]

First things first, these are different people.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah.

[Sarah Hagee]

Second of all, Bob Menendez kind of worked his way up from nothing into being a part of the Senate. And him and his freaky wife Nadine are living large on bribes because they're getting paid to help foreign militaries, I guess.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah, Sarah, they were just a couple of crazy kids in love. You know how it is. Yeah.

[Sarah Hagee]

You know, they found love in a hopeless place. And what am I supposed to do, fault them for that?

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, lucky you. Because today I'm gonna tell you what becomes of our scammy star crossed lover. It's September 25, 2023, and dozens of reporters are crowded into a dimly lit room at Hudson County Community College In Union City, N.J. rain is beating against the windows, and everyone is waiting for Democratic New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez to make his first comment since he was indicted for bribery. Bob was charged two days ago, along with his wife Nadine and several of their associates. This isn't the first time Bob has had to face the press. After being indicted in 2015, he was hit with federal corruption charges, but back then, he walked out to applause. This time, he walks out to stunned, uncomfortable silence. Bob shakes the hands of the few constituents in attendance as he makes his way to the podium. He's here to address the allegations in the indictment, which are centered on his shady relationship with the government of Egypt. He defends his record with the country, saying he's always held Egypt accountable for their human rights record. He also makes it clear that he's not here to apologize and says that he has no plans to resign. He even tries to explain the stockpile of cash and $100,000 in gold bars that the FBI discovered in a raid of his home.

[Sarah Hagee]

For 30 years, I have withdrawn thousands.

[Saatchi Cole]

Of dollars in cash from my personal.

[Sarah Hagee]

Savings account, which I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of.

[Saatchi Cole]

My family facing confiscation in Cuba.

[Sarah Hagee]

Okay, so he's blaming generational trauma.

[Saatchi Cole]

I mean, listen, it's like, right? But it's wrong. You know?

[Sarah Hagee]

Listen, I'm Cuban. What do you want me to do?

[Saatchi Cole]

It's hard. Well, this explanation obviously rings hollow, but Bob's personal story of overcoming adversity has gotten him this far and helped him evade federal charges once before, he seems ready to double down on his strategy. The only problem is no one is buying what he's selling anymore. For decades, Bob has been a formidable figure in state and federal politics. Now he's about to become something new. A Punchline all right, Audible's best of 2024 picks are here, so discover the year's top audiobooks, podcasts and originals in all your favorite genres.

[Sarah Hagee]

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[Saatchi Cole]

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[Sarah Hagee]

There's also the year's best fiction, like the Women by Kristin Hannah and Percival Everett's brilliantly subversive James I would love to listen to Sally Rooney's Intermezzo. It just came out this year and I think it was one of my favorite 24 releases.

[Saatchi Cole]

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[Sarah Hagee]

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[Saatchi Cole]

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[Sarah Hagee]

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[Saatchi Cole]

Give it a [e-mail] Switch $45 upfront payment equivalent to $15 per month. New customers on first 3 month plan only taxes and fees, extra speed slower above 40 gigabytes. You detail from Wondry. I'm Saatchi Cole. And I'm Sarah Hagee, and this is Scamfluencers. Come and give me your attention. I won't ever learn my lesson. Turn my speakers to 11. I feel like a legend. In our last episode, we followed the political career of Bob Menendez as he rose through the ranks of New Jersey politics to the US Senate. Along the way, he starts doing favors for shady people. And then when he meets the love of his life, Nadine Arslanian, the two lovebirds become partners in alleged crimes. Now the feds have caught up with them, and they're at the center of a federal case with international reach. As they scramble to defend themselves against sprawling bribery charges. They're about to learn that the honeymoon phase is definitely over. This Is Bob Menendez bad romance part 2 legend? It's October 5, 2023, less than two weeks after Nadine Menendez was hit with a federal indictment along with her husband. But amazingly, that is about to become the second most upsetting legal issue she has to face. The New Jersey Attorney General has seized records from law enforcement officials in Bergen county related to a years old case, a fatal car accident. And the driver in this incident was Nadine. Back in December 2018, Nadine was driving home when she struck 49 year old Richard Coop with her car. Richard died on the scene. And when the police arrived, Nadine told them that he jumped out of nowhere onto her car's windshield. The dash cam footage from that night was just made public and the video is not a great look for Nadine. In it, she denied any responsibility for the accident. She also refused to hand her phone over to the police. They wanted it so they could see whether she was texting and driving, which is something she's been citing for at least twice in the past. She told the cops that she wouldn't give a statement without her lawyer present saying, I just don't want to say anything wrong. Eventually, someone claiming to be a retired cop showed up and stepped in to confirm that Nadine wasn't being charged. He said he was trying to help Nadine because she's friends with his buddy's wife. Richard had alcohol and marijuana in his system and he'd been jaywalking when Nadine hit him. So the police found her not at fault and released her without testing her for drugs or alcohol. And somehow the accident didn't make it into the local news.

[Sarah Hagee]

You know, she is the wife of a senator and she killed someone with her car. Regardless of whether or not she was found to be at fault or that she's like guilty of something, that is a huge deal. And I would probably want to know that.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah, I would want to know too. After the indictment comes down against Bob and Nadine, the New York Times and the Record of New Jersey report on the accident for the first time. And the New Jersey AG is looking into whether it was investigated properly. Now that the case is being reopened, Nadine could face new charges, ones that have nothing to do with the bribery scheme. On top of that, it's generating a lot of awful press that Nadine and Bob really can't afford right now. It's October 12, 2023, just a few days after Nadine's car accident cases reopened. Bob is still scrambling to control his public image. And then he's Dealt another blow. Federal prosecutors add another charge to his and Nadine's indictment, conspiring to act as a foreign agent on Egypt's behalf. Nadine could technically act as a foreign agent if she had registered, but she didn't. Meanwhile, senators are never allowed to act as foreign agents. In response to this new charge, Bob releases another statement saying that he's always been loyal to the United States. The allegation is a stunning escalation of. Of the legal case against Bob, and he's facing mounting pressure to resign. Last time, Bob's party closed ranks around him. But with the presidential election ramping up, Democrats are worried about the optics of having a highly visible, possibly corrupt senator. So they start to turn on him. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is the first to speak out. He makes a statement while wearing one of his signature hoodies. If he has something to say, it's like, you know, he's resigning. That's the only honorable expert.

[Sarah Hagee]

Excuse me.

[Saatchi Cole]

Exit. And he's got to go.

[Sarah Hagee]

He's got to go.

[Saatchi Cole]

I can't imagine, you know, how he could possibly explain any of that kind of a thing.

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah, I mean, it is pretty inexplicable. Like, what else could you do at that point? I don't understand how he could hold on to anything.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah, and John doesn't stop there either. He's pissed that Bob is even thinking about staying in the Senate. So in an incredible troll move, he buys a cameo from a past subject of our very show, Sarah, disgraced former congressman Jorge Santos. Hey, Bobby. Look, I don't think I need to tell you, but these people that want to make you get in trouble and want to kick you out and make you run away, you make him put up or shut up. You stand your ground, sir. And don't get bogged down by all the haters out there. Stay strong. Merry Christmas.

[Sarah Hagee]

I mean, if anything is more proof that American politics is, like, a total joke, it's this entire thing.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, it gets so bad that Bob's former protege, Senator Cory Booker, releases an emotional statement calling for him to resign. Corey was one of the only Democrats to vocally support Bob through his first corruption trial, but not anymore. Here he is talking about his change of heart at an appearance at George Washington University. This is personal for me. I've spent a decade working with Bob Menendez, and we've been through hell, from our workplace literally being stormed to seeing the most awful tragedies in our own state, from shootings to natural disasters. So I called on him to resign, which is One of the more gun wrenching things I've done. And just when it seems like things couldn't get any worse, the first co defendant in Bob's case caves. Jose Uribe, the guy who gifted Nadine her Mercedes. He pleads guilty to bribery and agrees to testify against the other defendants. A few days after that, the prosecution adds yet another charge against the remaining obstruction of justice. That's for trying to make bribes look like loans. Bob has seemingly been abandoned by his colleagues and rejected by the public. And soon he's gonna lose one of the last pieces of stability left in his his relationship with Nadine. It's April 2024, five months after Bob learned his former associate is going to testify against him. Bob's been busy trying to preserve his political reputation. Back in January, he even spoke on the Senate floor declaring his innocence.

[Sarah Hagee]

Almost everyone, including my friends in the press who have reported on it, haven't read the indictment.

[Saatchi Cole]

They've only taken the government's sensational narrative.

[Sarah Hagee]

Of what the accusations are as truth. This guy is the government.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yes. Correct.

[Sarah Hagee]

It is really funny to be like, I'm the government, listen to me. But don't listen to the government that's trying to get me.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah, just his side of the government. Only listen to his side. Well, behind the scenes, Bob's lawyers have been trying to get the corruption charges thrown out, and that hasn't worked. So they're ready to try a different tactic. The lawyers are asking for a delay in Nadine's trial. They say she's sick, and although they don't specify her condition, they say that she'll need surgery within the next six weeks. The judge decides to delay Nadine's trial and reconvene in a couple of months when she's had time to recover. But her co defendants, including Bob, won't get the same extension. You might think that this is bad news for Bob, but actually he's been lobbying for his trial to be severed from Nadine's for a while. About a week later, the judge in the case unseals a brief filed by Bob's lawyers. And in it, they say that if he testifies, he would violate his spousal privilege by revealing information that would exonerate him but may incriminate his wife. That's right. Bob is ready to say that this is all Nadine's fault. And the media reacts with absolute glee. Here's Jon Stewart on the Daily show responding to the headlines. Yes, it's those three magic words that.

[Sarah Hagee]

Every woman is dying to hear. It Was her.

[Saatchi Cole]

She did it. The next month, Bob's trial begins in New York City. He sits stone faced in the courtroom as the prosecution starts to outline their case. They say that Bob, quote, put his power up for sale. But in his opening statement, Bob's lawyer says that Bob had no clue what Nadine was asking others to give her. Bob's lawyer also argues that at least some of the gold bars belonged to Nadine. The evidence photographs of Nadine's closet in New Jersey where the gold bars were found during the raid. Bob's lawyer claims that Bob didn't question the gold bars because he figured they were a gift from her family, who had amassed wealth in the Persian rug business.

[Sarah Hagee]

Okay, I'm trying to figure out which part of that fits in. Like, listen, they're in the Persian rug business. Everyone knows you get gold. Like it's all in with gold bars, you know, like, that's just what happens. He's just making shit up at this point.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, the following day, less than 24 hours after betraying Nadine in court, Bob plays the part of a worried husband by revealing her diagnosis to the world. He shares that Nadine has breast cancer, which requires immediate treatment. And throughout all of this, Nadine and her lawyers are quiet. But soon enough, someone else is gonna speak up on her behalf. Just when it seems like the media circus around Bob and Nadine can't get any weirder, one of Nadine's friends decides to speak to the New York Post. His name is Pat Dorey and he's been friends with Nadine for years. Though he tells the Post that Nadine cut off all communication with her closest friends a few months before the indictment. She even changed her number. But Pat's fed up with the evil mastermind narrative around his friend, so he's decided to say something. Pat and a few of Nadine's other friends tell the Post that Nadine is no villain, just a clingy girlfriend. And while she likes designer clothes and her Mercedes, at the end of the day, she just wanted to pay her mortgage on time. To top it all off, her friends tell the Post that they encouraged Nadine to marry Bob because, get this, she had a head injury and needed the health insurance.

[Sarah Hagee]

These friends are useless. This makes her look worse. They couldn't even come up with something of her being, like, manipulated into marriage.

[Saatchi Cole]

Listen, needing health care is a real problem in this country, Sarah. You don't understand.

[Sarah Hagee]

It is, but I don't know, it's a stretch.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, now Pat alleges that Nadine doesn't have money to pay for her lawyers and speculates that despite his betrayal, she's never going to leave Bob. What started as an epic romance has turned into a one sided war of the Roses. While the court of public opinion has been brutal, the actual courtroom is about to get downright vicious. Ever wondered how industry giants like Aloe and Skims dominate the online retail space? The answer is simpler than you think. It's Shopify.

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[Sarah Hagee]

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It'S June 2024, a few weeks into Bob's trial. Jose Uribe is at the Southern District Federal Courthouse in Lower Manhattan, and he's at the center of a media frenzy. He's wearing a navy suit with a crisp white shirt, and he's trying to keep his Face free of emotion. He's flipped on his former friends, and he's now the prosecution's star witness. Jose pleaded guilty to the bribery charges back in March, and he's also pleaded guilty to previous tax evasion. So now he's facing a lot of jail time. Even with a deal. Bob's trial has been a bit of a circus. Donald Trump is in court across the street facing campaign finance charges. And that hasn't been the only distraction. Bob's trial was recently delayed by a week because all of the jurors got stuck in an elevator. Of course, this was right after the judge literally said, don't all get into one elevator.

[Sarah Hagee]

Does anything normal happen with this guy, any aspect of his life? Is there one normal thing that happens?

[Saatchi Cole]

No. It's all very stupid. Well, Jose has to confront Bob in court today, but he won't see Nadine. She's been excused from appearing in court because of chronic pain related to her recent mastectomy. Jose tells the jury about his friend Wael. That's the guy that Bob helped get a halal monopoly. Jose says that Wael told him that if he was willing to give up a quarter of a million dollars, Bob would help him avoid a potential federal investigation. And he tells the story of what happened when he went to Bob's house to formally ask for help. Do you remember that? It's the meeting in 2019 where Bob and Jose talked in the backyard, and Nadine waited patiently inside until Bob summoned her with a bell.

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah, I do remember that, and I haven't stopped thinking about it.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, the story isn't just alarming. It also undermines the defense's argument that actually everything was Nadine's fault. She clearly wasn't operating behind her husband's back. In some cases, she wasn't even in the same room when the deal was being made. And it's hard to believe that Bob was being controlled by a woman he could summon with a bell. A couple of days later, the defense gets a chance to cross examine Jose and chip away at his credibility. They try to use Jose's priors to make him seem like a sophisticated liar, but he maintains his composure on the stand, and his testimony blows Bob's argument to smithereens. Unfortunately for Bob, Jose's testimony is just the first domino to fall. Some of Bob's closest colleagues are about to tell the world that Bob hasn't just been a shady politician. He's also been a bad boss. It's about two weeks after Jose's testimony, and another major witness is ready to testify for the prosecution. More than 40 years after Bob testified against William Musto, now he's the one being exposed by a former staffer. Her name is Sarah Arkin. She's 40 years old, and with her long brown hair and glasses, she looks like a policy nerd, which she is. Right now, she works for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but before that, she worked for Bob as a foreign policy advisor. Sarah takes the stand and tells the jury that for the past few years, he's been acting extremely weird. Sarah says that back in March 2019, she drafted a letter criticizing the president of Egypt and the country's human rights record. And while Bob used to be comfortable criticizing Egypt, this time he told her to back off a little bit. He told her he wanted to tone down public criticism and engage in more private communication. By the way, this happened less than a month before the Egyptian government awarded Bob's friend Wael a monopoly halal contract. What a coincidence. She also tells the jury that in September 2021, she was helping Bob plan an official trip to Egypt and Qatar when she received a strange request through a colleague. Bob asked her to coordinate trip details with someone named Abdel Majid, a name that she didn't recognize over text. The colleague told her that, quote, all of this Egypt stuff is very weird. I've never seen anything like it. After a series of phone calls to the Egyptian embassy, Sarah worked out that Abdel Majid was actually a code name for an Egyptian intelligence officer who had become friends with Nadine. Actually, this intelligence officer and Nadine were kind of best friends. They were texting all the time about DC Hair salons or whether she could arrange for Bob to ride a camel while in Egypt. Oh, and how to talk about Egypt's potential involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

[Sarah Hagee]

I am having a hard time understanding Nadine's personality and, like, what she's like and what she's trying to do here, because she doesn't seem like someone who would just be out here texting a government agent from a foreign government. I just don't understand this at all. Like, how is this happening? And, you know, I kind of want to queen out with Nadine now.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, you know, I think you and Nadine have a lot in common, and I think you will really get along. But when the defense attorney presses her, Sarah admits that Bob did continue to voice some of his old concerns about Egyptian human rights abuses. But she tells the jury that in her opinion, something changed after Bob started meeting with the Egyptian officials. Sarah's testimony is yet another nail in Bob's coffin. But his defense team has one more card left to play. The story of a dramatic breakup. On June 28, 2024, after seven weeks of testimony, 30 witnesses and one elevator rescue, the prosecution rests its case. But Judge Sidney Stein's job isn't over. Sydney is in his late 70s, with steely gray hair and black rimmed glasses. And a few days later, Sydney is reading a new filing from the defense. It lays out a legal argument straight out of Friends. They say that actually when the halal monopoly was being negotiated, Bob and Nadine were on a break. The defense has included a bunch of texts from this time. They claim that the texts show that Bob was only in communication with Nadine because he was worried her ex was mistreating her. Sarah, can you read one of Bob's summarized texts to Nadine?

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah. This is my favorite thing to do. I worry about your safety and well being. I'm also concerned that he will manipulate you into conversations with him. My disappointment, however, does not change my love for you. You are the love of my life and hopefully we can live in peace and happiness the rest of our lives. This is getting so in the weeds of this like, weird relationship and the weird things they did that it feels further and further away from the actual case at hand.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah, well, for what it's worth, Doug told the New York Times that claims he hurt Nadine were ridiculous and that everything she ever made up about me was fake. Sidney is not amused. He bars the introduction of the text telling the court, quote, this is not going to be Days of Our Lives or some soap opera. Bob's lawyers are grasping at straws, but they have two more witnesses who they hope will make their case and seal Nadine's fate. On July 1, 2024, Bob sits in court as his sister, Kerdad Gonzalez takes the stand. She's a petite woman in her 80s, though she looks a decade younger with her dark dyed hair. She wears a smart knee length black dress and a cropped white jacket. As she takes her seat in the Manhattan courtroom, she's here to back up Bob's claim that he had hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cash in his home because he's Cuban. Caridad explains that she was 8 when their family fled Cuba and that their father stored money in a grandfather clock in their home in Havana. She says, quote, it's a Cuban thing. And Caridad confirms that her parents continued hoarding cash after coming to the US.

[Sarah Hagee]

I'm sure that's all true. Like my family has some of the same stuff from, you know, being refugees and immigrants and whatever. But the point is this man is a government official. Like, he shouldn't be doing stuff like that. He should know better, even if it is true.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah, well. Caridad has stayed close with Bob throughout the years, even working as his legal secretary at one point in the 1980s. She recalls how Bob once had her fetch $500 from a cash box he kept in his apartment. And Caridad's not the only sister Bob has dragged into the circus. The next witness is Nadine's little sister, Katia. She testifies that in the fall of 2018, Nadine told her that Bob broke up with her because he found out about her ex boyfriend, Doug. Nadine asked Katia to reach out to Bob and convince him to get back together with her. The defense wants Katya's testimony to prove that Bob and Nadine weren't together. At the end of 2018, during the crucial planning stages of Wael's halal monopoly. After some final testimony from a forensic accountant about Bob's cash withdrawals, the defense rests, bringing an end to a long, confusing trial. Now that it's over, Bob's future hangs in the balance. But by the time the jury reaches a verdict, the political landscape will be turned on its head.

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[Saatchi Cole]

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[Sarah Hagee]

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[Sarah Hagee]

I feel like I.

[Saatchi Cole]

It's July 16, 2024. The jury has been deliberating Bob's case for just three days, but they're already back with a verdict. They find Bob guilty on all 16 counts, including bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, and several counts of conspiracy. Throughout his career, Bob has been able to escape many accusations of corruption, but this time, there's no denying it. He's a crook. The prosecutor in the case releases a statement saying that because Senator Menendez has now been found guilty, his years of selling his office to the highest bidder have finally come to an end. Bob immediately gives a press conference outside the courtroom, because even when he's down, Bob loves a press conference.

[Sarah Hagee]

Obviously, I'm deeply.

[Saatchi Cole]

I am deeply disappointed by the jury's decision. I have every faith that the law.

[Sarah Hagee]

And the facts did not sustain that.

[Saatchi Cole]

Decision and that we will be successful upon appeal. With this verdict, Bob has once again made history. He's the first sitting senator to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent. And normally this would be huge news, but there's a lot going on around this time. While Bob's trial was happening, Joe Biden had that catastrophic presidential debate with Donald Trump that led to an unprecedented outcry for him to drop out of the race, which was all over the headlines. And then the day after the jury started deliberating, Trump was shot in an assassination attempt at a rally. I mean, Sarah, can you remember all of this shit happening, like, all at the same time?

[Sarah Hagee]

I do remember where I was when Trump got shot and that whole day. But I do think that being such big news totally overshadowed any of this because I do not remember anything to do with Bob.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, you know what else is still super chaotic New Jersey politics, which haven't changed one bit. Representative Andy Kim officially announced that he would run for Bob's seat the day after the indictment. And that pissed off Governor Phillip Murphy because he wanted to support another candidate for Senate, his wife. She later dropped out because people were like, come on, be serious. Throughout the trial, the investigation, and all of the calls for Bob's resignation, Bob has been steadfast on one that he will stay on the Senate floor no matter how many people call for his resignation. And amazingly, this verdict does not mean that Bob is kicked out of the Senate. He's still able to serve until his term is up at the end of the year. And it's no wonder that Bob thinks he might be able to get out of this one. With everything going on, people barely have the bandwidth to focus on his fraud. He's determined to appeal his case and hold on to power. But Bob's Teflon act might be about to come to a close. Immediately after the verdict, Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic majority leader, says that Bob needs to go. And less than a week later, the Senate Ethics Committee votes unanimously to a formal review of Bob's conduct. That's the process that would lay the groundwork to force him out. That hasn't happened to a senator in more than 100 years. Bob must be done making history, because one day later, he resigns. Do you want to read a part of a statement?

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah. It says, I will be resigning from my office as the United States Senator from New Jersey. While I fully intend to appeal the jury's verdict all the way and including to the Supreme Court, I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important work. It's such a bullshit politician speak way of being like, I got got. He doesn't care about the Senate's work.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, in another world, this would be the top headline in every national newspaper. But like we mentioned, in 2024, it's not even the biggest news on the politician calls it quits beat. Instead, it's buried under headlines about President Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, which he did just two days before Bob's announcement. Bob didn't completely skate on by. He's actually facing a really long prison sentence. As of this recording, his sentencing hearing is set for January 2025, around the time Bob was found guilty. Nadine's trial was postponed indefinitely because she is still very sick. As of this recording, she has not spoken out publicly. After Bob resigned, New Jersey's governor appointed his replacement, not his wife, but his former chief of staff, George Helmy, to fill the vacancy. Which is how Bob's career in the Senate began, with an appointment. It looks like Andy Kim is likely going to win the race for the Senate seat, and he'll immediately step into the role. And even though Bob's political career appears to be over for the foreseeable future and Nadine is out of the spotlight, this is not the last time we'll hear from the Menendezes. Bob's son, Robert Menendez Jr. Was elected to Congress in 2022, and his daughter Alicia is an anchor for MSNBC. So regardless of what happens in his appeal, at least one part of Bob's political legacy seems to be intact. Well, Sarah, of all of the scammy politicians we've covered, and there have been a few, where do you think Bob ranks?

[Sarah Hagee]

It's hard to say. I think he's kind of in the middle for me, only because I see what he did as functioning within the framework of how a lot of politicians pass laws or the kind of relationships they have. But he just did it in a way that was so blatantly crazy that he became a full on scammer. Like he just went way too far.

[Saatchi Cole]

I feel like his scam is so big and so obvious and also kind of boring. It's sort of like what I assume politicians are doing, generally speaking. Like, it's no Jorge Santos. That was beyond the realm of my comprehension. But this is like, oh yeah, no shit, of course this is happening.

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah. And I do think for a huge part of his scam, he probably didn't see what he was doing as like full on scamming. The way that he was like, well, this is kind of what politicians do. We're all doing this, right? Meanwhile, everyone's like, no, we, we're not doing it like that.

[Saatchi Cole]

I was paying attention to Bob despite everything that was happening, and I am a little surprised that he was found guilty. The whole time we've been talking about this case, the whole time I've been reading about it, I kept being like, what are they going to get him for? It's just a couple of gold bars. What's the big deal? That's child's play in terms of political corruption. But they got him.

[Sarah Hagee]

I was pretty surprised as well. And you know, when we do a lot of these kind of government scams, when it's an elected official, it is always funny to see people try to distance themselves completely from the guilty person. You know, like, I'm sure there was a lot going on with him and other people and they're just kind of like, man, he's a bad guy. Can't believe Bob did that. It's bad.

[Saatchi Cole]

Do you think we're gonna hear from Bob again? Like, it feels like disgraced politicians never stay away for very long. So what do you think will be his, I guess his fourth act?

[Sarah Hagee]

I mean, I could see a lot of things happening. I really think the sky's the limit for someone like Bob. He can become a consultant, he can become a talking head. I don't know. I think that there's a space for him as a disgraced politician who wasn't outwardly like as crazy as someone like Jorge Santos.

[Saatchi Cole]

I think if my husband threw me under the bus that hard in a corruption case while I had breast cancer, I would eat him and his family. This is another episode that is a testament for why you should not get married.

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah, I really found that to be quite terrible, actually. Whatever Nadine did, she is legitimately very sick. You think there'd be like some sort of care from her husband, but you know, he is a politician. He's thinking about himself at the end of the day, like he's trying to not get the most time. And I'm sure he can find a million ways to justify it. The same way he's justified everything he's done. I am just kind of like, how does someone like Nadine find herself at the center of something like this? You know, I just keep thinking about how she was too crazy to be friends with the Real Housewives of New Jersey.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah. Imagine Kim D. Being like, this woman's too much, and then she turns out to be dating a senator. Like that's actually exactly right.

[Sarah Hagee]

Yes. And I am just still kind of surprised by how badly her friends defended her.

[Saatchi Cole]

Do you think they understood what they were doing?

[Sarah Hagee]

I don't think so. I think that was the greatest thing they could come up with together.

[Saatchi Cole]

How do you think Cuban Americans feel about Bob's argument that they had all those gold bars because they were Cuban?

[Sarah Hagee]

I mean, again, I see it in some way. Like, I do get that people do that. It's just funny to me, he used that as an excuse in, like, a legal matter, not as like a. Oh, this quirky thing I do because of my family's history.

[Saatchi Cole]

Bob's story is like a single kernel of truth buried in mountains of fat and garbage and trash and lies. Like, yeah, maybe that's something that. That's true for some families, but that's not why you, in particular were hoarding gold bars in your wife's closet.

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah. And also blaming the gold bars on, you know, the Persian rug trade is so insane. It's like no one really has gold bars just laying around unless they're like, some sort of conspiracy theorist or. You're up to no good. You got gold like that. You're up to no good.

[Saatchi Cole]

Bob was up to no good. Sarah, I think if I've learned anything, it's that you can somehow kind of get away with things if you get in trouble around the same time that the president drops out of the election and they try to kill the other president. And also, there's still an election happening and one of the presidents is also being indicted.

[Sarah Hagee]

Yeah. He is so lucky that the world is a lot crazier than what he's been doing. Like, five years ago, this would have had so much mileage, but now it's just kind of like too much is going on. There's too much going on.

[Saatchi Cole]

If you like scamfluencers, you can listen to every episode early and ad free right now. By joining Wondry in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey this is Bob Menendez Bad Romance Part 2. I'm Saatchi Cole.

[Sarah Hagee]

And I'm Sarah Hagee. If you have a tipper for us on a story that you think we should cover, please email [e-mail] we use many sources in our research. A few that were particularly helpful were It's a Cuban thing, Menendez's Sister says their Parents Also hid Cash by Tracy Tully and Benjamin Weiser for the New York Times the Case of the Developer, the Halal Exporter US Senator Bob Menendez and His Wife by Dan Adler for Vanity Fair and Nadine and Bob Menendez's Flashy, Allegedly Corrupt Romance by Nina Burley for New York Magazine.

[Saatchi Cole]

Our associate producer, Charlotte Miller wrote this episode. Additional writing by us Sachi Cole and Sarah Hagge. Olivia Briley and Eric Thurm are our story editors. Fact checking by Sarah Baum Sound design by James Morgan Additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Freeze on Sync. Our managing producers are Matt Gann and Desi Blalock. Our senior managing producer is Nick Ryan. Janine Cornelo and Stephanie Jens are our development producers. Our other associate producer is Lexi Peery. Our producers are John Reed, Yasmin Ward and Kate Young. Our senior producers are Sarah Enny and Ginny Bloom. Our executive producers are Jenny Lauer, Beckman Marshall Louie and Erin O. Flaherty. For Wondry, we get support from Chime.

[Sarah Hagee]

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[Saatchi Cole]

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[Sarah Hagee]

Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp App NA or StrideBank N A members, FDIC SPOTME eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Booths are available to eligible CHIME members enrolled in SpotMe and are subject to monthly limits. Terms and conditions apply. Go to chime.com disclosures for details.