In a significant development, New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez has been hit with a dozen new criminal charges in connection with a long-running bribery scheme. The charges involve the governments of Egypt and Qatar and come shortly after one of the indicted businessmen agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

The superseding indictment unveiled on Tuesday includes a range of charges against Menendez, including conspiracy, obstruction of justice, acting as a foreign agent, bribery, extortion, and honest services wire fraud. These new charges are added to the existing ones, which comprised of conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, extortion under color of official right, and acting as a foreign agent.

Menendez vehemently denies any wrongdoing, and he has accused the prosecutors of specifically targeting him. CNN has sought a comment from Menendez regarding the recent charges, but no statement has been provided as of now. The additional details regarding the case are yet to be revealed.

This recent development could have significant repercussions for Menendez, who has been embroiled in legal troubles for some time now. The cooperation of one of the indicted businessmen could potentially provide crucial information that could further advance the investigation.

The timing of the new charges is notable, as they come at a time when Menendez is already facing a challenging reelection campaign. The outcome of the case could have a significant impact on his political future.

It remains to be seen how Menendez will respond to these new charges and how the legal proceedings will unfold. As more details emerge, the case is expected to garner intense scrutiny from both the media and the public.

The story will continue to be updated as new information becomes available, shedding light on the allegations and Menendez's potential next steps.