NEW YORK — US Senator Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was indicted on federal corruption charges on Friday for allegedly taking bribes from the Egyptian government.
Menendez, who serves as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was named in a bribery scheme along with his wife, Nadine Menendez, and three businesspeople in New Jersey. Federal prosecutors in New York alleged in the indictment that the senator had taken bribes to benefit the Egyptian government.
"The indictment alleges that Senator Menendez used his power and influence, including his leadership role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to benefit the government of Egypt in various ways,” the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, told reporters.
On Friday afternoon, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer announced that Menendez would step down as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee "until the matter has been resolved," according to a statement.
