In a significant development in the corruption case against New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, a businessman and co-defendant, Jose Uribe, has pleaded guilty to seven charges and stated his intention to cooperate with investigators. The charges filed against Uribe include conspiracy to commit bribery, obstruction of justice, wire fraud, and tax evasion. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 95 years in prison.

Uribe's plea agreement includes his agreement to cooperate with prosecutors in building a case against Senator Menendez. The federal charges initially brought against Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, in September involve allegations of acting as a foreign agent to Egypt and engaging in a corrupt scheme alongside Uribe, New Jersey real estate developer Fred Daibes, and Wael Hana, a halal meat certification business owner.

According to the indictment, Menendez and his wife allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from Uribe, Daibes, and Hana in exchange for seeking to protect and enrich them. The bribes reportedly included cash, gold bars, home mortgage payments, compensation for fictitious jobs, and other valuable items. The indictment also accuses Uribe of assisting Menendez and his wife in purchasing a luxury vehicle worth over $60,000.

Furthermore, the indictment suggests that Menendez had agreed to interfere in a New Jersey state criminal prosecution related to a trucking company and an employee of Uribe who faced insurance fraud charges. Menendez's trial is scheduled to begin in May, and he has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that there are hidden forces working to silence him and bring an end to his political career. Menendez, his wife, Daibes, and Hana have all pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.

Fox News' Bryan Llenas reported on this significant development in the Menendez corruption case. The office of Senator Menendez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

This article was prepared by Joe Schoffstall, a politics producer/reporter for Fox News Digital, with contributions from Thomas Catenacci. For story tips, contact Joe.Schoffstall@Fox.com or follow him on Twitter: @joeschoffstall. Stay tuned for the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail and exclusive interviews on Fox News' politics content.

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