New Jersey businessman who testified against ex-Sen. Bob Menendez won't go to prison
Share this @internewscast.com

NEW YORK (AP) — A businessman from New Jersey, who provided testimony against former Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and his spouse in individual bribery trials, will avoid prison time. During his sentencing on Thursday, the judge acknowledged his truthful testimony in court and genuine repentance.

Jose Uribe was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Sidney H. Stein, who said he played a crucial role in the convictions “in a major conspiracy involving other countries and corruption of the highest order.”

Menendez, 71, resigned from the Senate after his conviction last year on 16 charges, including having acted as a foreign agent for Egypt. He is serving an 11-year prison sentence. His wife, Nadine Menendez, was sentenced last month to 4½ years in prison.

Their trials featured testimony about hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold bars, cash and a Mercedes-Benz convertible that were paid in bribes to the couple by three New Jersey businessmen, including Uribe, in return for actions by the senator on their behalf.

“I’m not going to incarcerate you. I think you’re extremely remorseful,” Stein said of Uribe, who was the government’s star witness at the Menendez trials.

He ordered Uribe to serve six months of home detention, though he can leave home for work, education or religious reasons. The judge also ordered Uribe to forfeit $292,000 and pay $866,000 in restitution.

Two businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were also convicted in the bribery scheme. Daibes, a real estate developer, was sentenced this year to seven years in prison, while Hana, an entrepreneur, received an eight-year sentence.

At trial, Uribe testified that he provided a $15,000 down payment in 2019 for the Mercedes and arranged monthly car payments from 2019 to 2022 in return for the senator’s help in shielding his company from New Jersey criminal probes of another trucking company.

Uribe apologized for his “terrible” crimes, saying he was “sorry and embarrassed.” He became choked up as he apologized to his family.

“I will never violate the law again,” he told Stein.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz called Uribe’s cooperation brave and valuable, noting that it was “not everyday a cooperator testifies at the trial of a sitting U.S. senator.”

She said it was “easy to imagine why people were not lining up to testify,” since everyone knew that he was a particularly powerful senator who was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when he was criminally charged in the fall of 2023. Menendez was forced from the position soon afterward.

She called the criminal probe that preceded the trials a “long-running investigation of rare and historic gravity,” and said some of the criminal conduct would have gone unknown without Uribe’s help.

Defense attorney Daniel Fetterman said his client was “actually harassed” as a result of his cooperation, citing a day in April 2024 when two strangers approached his wife outside a bank and asked inappropriate questions.

“That was terrifying for him and his wife,” he said, though he noted that Uribe’s cooperation continued unabated.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
M&M's Halloween Rescue Squad returns again: Here's how to get a free candy refill

Get Free Candy Refills This Halloween: M&M’s Rescue Squad is Back!

As Halloween approaches, M&M’s is once again stepping in to ensure the…
Luigi Mangione gains prominence at federal jail where guards like him and inmates dub him 'ambassador': report

Meet Luigi Mangione: The ‘Ambassador’ Changing the Game at Federal Jail

Luigi Mangione, the accused assassin of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, has gained notable recognition…
Louisiana GOP throws weight behind Turning Point USA chapter rejected by New Orleans university: 'injustice'

Louisiana GOP Supports Turning Point USA Chapter After Rejection by New Orleans University, Citing ‘Injustice

This article is a part of Fox News Digital’s investigative series, Campus…
Chicago father of child fighting cancer released on bond by immigration judge

Chicago Father of Child Battling Cancer Granted Bond Release by Immigration Judge

A Chicago family is breathing a sigh of relief after a judge…
Qatari Prime Minister Says Hamas Violated Ceasefire with Attack on Israeli Soldiers

Qatari PM Condemns Hamas Ceasefire Breach: Attack on Israeli Soldiers Sparks Tensions

Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, expressed disappointment on Wednesday,…
Trump and China's Xi are meeting in South Korea to try to roll back months of trade tensions

Trump and Xi’s South Korea Summit: A Turning Point in US-China Trade Relations?

In Gyeongju, South Korea, President Donald Trump is set to meet with…
Hurricane Melissa: Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba pick up the pieces after storm's destruction

Hurricane Melissa’s Aftermath: Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba Begin Recovery Efforts Following Devastating Impact

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, people throughout the northern Caribbean were…
JD Vance calls for reduction in legal immigration at Turning Point event

JD Vance Advocates for Cutting Legal Immigration Numbers at Turning Point Gathering

Vice President JD Vance has called for a significant reduction in legal…
FBI Chief Kash Patel SHUTS DOWN Joe Kent’s Probe

FBI Director Kash Patel Halts Joe Kent’s Investigation: Key Developments Unveiled

FBI Director Kash Patel has abruptly terminated an investigation into possible foreign…
Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: Will New York City's next mayor hate Jews?

Fox News Investigates: Could New York City’s Next Mayor Be Antisemitic?

Fox News’ “Antisemitism Exposed” newsletter delivers critical insights on the increasing anti-Jewish…
Trump directs Pentagon to start testing nuclear weapons

Pentagon Receives Directive from Trump to Initiate Nuclear Weapons Testing

On Wednesday, President Trump revealed that he has directed the Department of…
Grandfather allegedly 'boiled alive' after 136-degree shower scalds skin at California hotel

California Hotel Tragedy: Grandfather Fatally Scalded in 136-Degree Shower Incident

A tragic incident has occurred involving a Marine veteran and grandfather who…