In
Menendez Trial
FBI Account on
M&T Bank
Account and
Gold in Chase
Safety Deposit
Box
by
Matthew Russell Lee
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
June 28 – Amid reports of
investigation against Sen.
Robert Menendez for taking
gold bars, Inner City Press'
sources on September 21 it to
expect on Friday, September 22
an appearance in Federal court
in Manhattan by Menendez and
his wife Nadine Arslanian. This
scoop
was true.
Later a
superseder was unveiled,
including charges of bribes to
act for Qatar...
On April 11, 2024
after Nadine Menendez and then
the government asked for
delay, to July or undefined,
Judge Stein severed her case
and reaffirmed May 6, Inner
City Press thread
On Sunday night
April 14 the US wrote in again
asking for a delay to July,
six page letter on Patreon here.
But Judge Stein
told the parties to confer and
report by April 16 at 1 pm.
Then he set an April 17
conference, which Inner City
Press live tweeted and dubbed
"Berate-gate," thread
On May 13, jury
selection began - but did not
finish. Abit later, Menendez
got into an car with FOP NJ
plates.
On May 14 jury
selection continued but was
not yet completed, from the
ending, thread
Late on May 14,
the US Attorney's Office filed
opposition to slides the
defense wants to use in its
opening arguments, including
quotes from Colin Powell and
MLK, and when Nadine came into
possession of gold - full
letter on Patreon here
Inner City Press
live tweeted jury selection
and then opening arguments here,
then filmed Bob's exit (he
said he thought it went well
and that his guy did great).
On May 21, the US
Attorney's Office put on Wael
Hana's lawyer, then a US State
Department official working on
Congressional approval (or
holds) on arms transfer to
Egypt, thread here.
On May 23, with
the trial in haitus, docketed
was Menendez' lawyers
opposition to quashing his
subpoena for Jose Uribe's
attorney proffer and
communications with SDNY
prosecutors, filing on Patreon
here
On May 29, Inner
City Press live tweeted,
omitting Morton's steakhouse
but including this
On May 30,
Menendez's lawyer's (long)
cross, including this.
On May 31,
starting 1 pm, the agent was
cross examined, and then USDA
Ted McKinney on direct, thread
After the
trial day, Inner City Press
filed Menendez' walk to his
Jersey-plated car; asked why
he called McKinney he said,
Wait for the cross
[examination].
Nadine Menendez
hired a new lawyer, who
previously represented Sydney
Powell among others. Then
this: "ORDER as to Nadine
Menendez: At the request of
the defendant and with the
consent of the government
[Doc. No. 434], the status
conference is adjourned from
June 10 to June 12 at 5 :00
p.m.(Signed by Judge Sidney H.
Stein on 6/3/2024)."
On June 4 Judge
Stein dockted a partially
redacted Order in which he
denied Menendez's request that
the prosecutors give him
impeachment material about a
Confidential Human Source they
are not going to call as a
witness - but Menendez said he
will.
On June 5, Inner
City Press live tweeted - and
afterward asked Menendez a
question. Thread.
On June 6, after
more cross of Agent Graves,
Gurbir Grewal testified, thread
On June 7, after
an FBI fingerprint expert,
cooperator Jose Uribe, Inner
City Press live tweeted, thread
On June 10, Uribe
finished his direct
examination around 4 pm, then
counsel for Hana, not yet
Menendez, began cross
examination, thread.
On June 11, Uribe
was cross examined - though
not on the "strip club issue"
after which out on Worth
Street Menendez decried
Uribe's crimes. Thread
On June 12, after
the end of Uribe (including
drunk driving and the "little
bell"), US Attorney of NJ
Sellinger took the stand, thread.
On June 13, trial
day - and next day - was
canceled by Daibes calling in
with COVID: thread.
And then, book:
GOLD BAR BAR Menendez Trial I,
on Amazon here.
On June 18, after
Daibes' COVID, things resumed
with Sellinger, followed by
Matt Soliman.
On June 20,
alongside an FBI agent summary
witness, a prosecution office
witness out of order, thread.
On June 24,
Menendez's staffer Sarah Arkin
took the stand, from the thread
On June 25, Sarah
Arkin finished up, including
about upcoming job at State
Department. Then, a currency
(and money laundering) expert
from the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York. From the thread
On June 26, there
testimony about currency, and
then a jocular Armenian
jeweler, from the thread
On June 27, the
Senate Ethics Committee
director, then a cell site
expert, from the thread
On June 28, the
last US witness, on Menendez's
M&T account, and gold in
Nadine's Chase Bank safety
deposit box, thread:
OK - now in US v.
Menendez, FBI forensic account
about Bob's M&T account is
last government witness;
defense will allude to Anton.
All rise!
[Witness is called, and
sworn...] AUSA: Which accounts
of Senator did you review? FBI
accountant: Senate Credit
Union and M&T Bank. Also,
Schedule E, Rental Income,
from the Senator's tax
returns.
AUSA: In this
chart, how much is indicated
in Menendez cash withdrawals
from the Senate credit union?
FBI accounting: $55,000
between 2018 and June 2022.
AUSA: If all of
that were part of the money
seized, how does it compare to
the bills issued after 2018?
Less AUSA: How many gold
bars in this chart match bars
in the Daibes portfolio? FBI
accountant: 13 bars, worth
over $200,000.
Cross
examination. Menendez's lawyer
Adam Fee: How did you first
get involved in this case? FBI
accountant: I was asked by the
prosecutors. Fee: The summary
charts, you did not prepare-
FBI accountant: I reviewed
them for accuracy
Menendez' lawyer
Adam Fee: I'm going to have to
re-make this exhibit because I
don't have Excel... Does the
Senate FCU have a branch in
the Hart building? FBI
accountant: I have no
knowledge of the Senate
buildings. Judge: We'll
break.
Cross examination
of FBI accountant continues.
Menendez' lawyer Adam Fee: Are
you aware that this Chase Bank
in Engelwood NJ safe deposit
box was held only by Nadine
Arslanian? AUSA: We object to
the scope of these questions.
Judge: Let's see. FBI
accountant: Yes
Menendez's lawyer
Fee: The cash deposited in the
M&T account was accurately
reported on the Schedule E?
AUSA: Objection! Judge:
Sustained. Fee: I want to
understand her knowledge of
the charts. Judge: But you
keep asking the same
questions. Go ahead
Now Wael Hana's
lawyer Lustberg: This chart
has one section on Mr. Daibes,
and one on Mr. Hana, right?
FBI accountant: Correct...
After a brief re-direct the
AUSA: The government rests.
Judge: Jurors, on Monday
you'll see if the defense puts
on a case Jury leaves
More on X for
Subscribers here
and Substack here
The case is US v.
Menendez, et al., 23-cr-490
(Stein)
More
on Substack here
***
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